Shadowfox
by Pariah-Of-Exodus
Summary: The Inutachi are harmlessly camped out in the middle of some unnamed forest and suddenly Sesshomaru appears. Yes out of nowhere. The wolfdemon reveals a visitor whose identity is surprising and disturbing. And his partner and friend are wackjobs.
1. Holly Trees and Black Roses

Disclaimer: well, this is change one Behold: Shadowfox, Reformed. this is the first chapter of Shadowfox that is corrected. the rest will follow. Anyhoo, I dun own InuYasha... Duh...

"SIT!" The cry rang through the forest. As the modern day girl stormed off, an angry hanyou snorted at her from his position in the dirt.

"Serves you right, Inu-Yasha," Miroku said, nodding wisely.

"For once I agree with the pervert," Sango said.

"Me too!" Shippo said, jumping up and clunking the now-sitting Inu-Yasha on the top of his head, "You idiot!"

Inu-Yasha grabbed Shippo's tail, suspending him upside-down.

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" Shippo shouted, struggling pointlessly. Kagome sighed.

"Please, Inu-Yasha, put Shippo down..." She said exasperatedly.

"Feh! Fine!" The stubborn half-demon let go of the small fox's tail and sent him crashing into the ground.

"Meanie!" Shippo cried. He ran to Kagome.

"Ouch. That hurt," Inu-Yasha said sarcastically, " Do you honestly expect Kagome to protect you! She can't even protect herself!"

"Bad move..." Sango and Miroku said in unision. Kirara mewed an agreement.

"SIT!" Kagome shouted for the second time in the last half an hour.

"You idiot puppy...Are you still being controlled by that wench?" A familiar voice called from the woods.

"Sesshomaru!" Inu-Yasha practically spat the name of his half-brother.

"Sesshomaru!" Everyone else gasped. Inu-Yasha looked at them dryly, but it was Sesshomaru who read his mind by saying: "We've already established this fact."

The little girl at his side, Rin, gave a small snicker at her Lord Sesshomaru's rare humor. Jaken, too, gave a small snort of laughter. He quite enjoyed humans being taunted.

"Why are you here!" Inu-Yasha growled.

"Calm yourself, puppy," the inu-youkai stated almost boredly, "For once, you and the Tetsusaiga are not my concern, nor the reason for my being here."

"We're not?" The now-clueless hanyou looked as confused as the humans standing in slight awe behind him.

"No, what interests me now is your visitor who hides in the shadows. There." He pointed a clawed hand towards a tree surrounded by thick, thorned rose bushes. The beautiful wild roses were a crimson red and had bloomed perfectly.

"Ooh! Lord Sesshomaru found pretty flowers!" Rin squealed with delight as she raced towards the forest's edge.

"Rin. Don't move." Rin didn't question Sesshomaru. She just froze in mid-stride with a blank expression. Sesshomaru almost smiled, but caught himself. He could tell his younger brother and all the odds and ends people he traveled with also bit back the urge to laugh at the young girl's behavior. Of course now that he looked at them, they stood rigid, waiting for their "visitor" to appear out of hiding.

"In case you haven't noticed... nothing's happening," Inu-Yasha pointed out, giving a large yawn after this obvious declaration. Sesshomaru turned and scowled at the hanyou. He directed his attention to the forest once more.

"Show yourself, Shapeshifter!" He commanded fiercely. A human staggered out of the forest and collapsed to the ground in a puddle of blood. Inu-Yasha could no longer control himself. He burst out laughing.

"Inu-Yasha!" Sango scolded, also obviously trying not to laugh, "You know it's usually, kinda sorta our job to figure out what killed this man!"

"There is no need. The answer is still there," Sesshomaru said blankly, "So, Kitsune, did this human stumble across the hiding place of you and your partner?"

An explosion of black and blue flames turned the oak into a cold-looking holly tree and the wild red roses' stems grew black and twisted and the thorns tripled in size. The petals themselves turned a deep midnight black, the veins turning the same light blue as the fire that still danced around them. Overall, the whole episode caused everyone except Sesshomaru to jump. The soon-to-be Inutaishou stood in an annoyingly superior-yet-emotionless way. A creature coalesced from the dancing fire, and all of a sudden the display disappeared, leaving the forest looking just the way it did, besides the newly transformed tree and roses. The beast that stood there made everyone look at Inu-Yasha and back at their new guest. They looked a lot alike besides their visitor had black ears, and the silvery white hair was a bit longer and thicker. Kagome mostly noticed his eyes, though. She had thought Inu-Yasha's intense amber eyes were the fiercest she had ever seen. Until, that is, this other creature came from nowhere, looking just like the stunned half-demon behind her, yet all the same looking totally different. Their visitor's eyes were most intense blue she had ever seen. They scared her just by looking into them, yet there was something hidden there, making him more like Inu-Yasha then Kagome had ever thought possible.

"You found me! Way to spoil it, Sesshomaru!" the boy called Kitsune said. A hand reached from behind in the forest and clunked him in the head. Kitsune answered with an expression everyone had heard countless times from the dog hanyou: "What the hell was that for, wench!"

Everyone was quite surprised when he got an answer.

"Because if you hadn't walked out, baka, your friend there would've looked like a moron!" Another creature that looked a lot like Kitsune stepped forward.

"Foxes!" Shippo exclaimed excitedly. He ran to the second fox, who by her voice, they had discovered was a vixen.

"Oh! He's adorable!" The female fox scooped up Shippo and cuddled him. The other fox, Kitsune, sighed.

" Ayame, for a rogue demon, that's rather sad..."

"Rogue demons!" Inu-Yasha drew Tetsusaiga, Sango readied Hiraikotsu, and Miroku's hand took hold of the prayer beads around his Kazaana.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Shippo said. He dropped down to Ayame's feet and walker around her, as if inspecting her appearance. Finally he came to a deduction. "You're not a fox like me!" He declared triumphantly. Ayame gave Kitsune a look that could've melted steel, making him bite back his sarcastic remark.

"What makes you say that?" Ayame said calmly.

"Yeah, Shippo, that wasn't very nice." Kagome spoke up for the first time.

"Rogue demons don't show kindness, therefore, they don't deserve kindness," Sango snarled, "Rogue demons are incredibly merciless and cruel. Shippo get back here."

"Ahem. As I was saying," Shippo said, clearing his tiny throat, apparently oblivious to the threat Sango suggested, "Your tail and ears are black, and mine are red!"

"And?" Kitsune said. Ayame reached over and popped him again. "Ow! Stop that!"

"Suck it up. I know it can't hurt that bad," Ayame snapped.

"Who are you, exactly?" Miroku asked cautiously.

"Oh! Right!" Ayame snapped her fingers as if she just remembered something important, "You might trust us at least a little bit more if you knew who we were!" She elbowed Kitsune hard in the ribs.

"OW! Fine! I'll go first!"

"No, actually I'll go first, I just didn't want you to say something sarcastic, you smartass!" Ayame said, smirking, "I am Ayame, a Level 1 Shadowfox, daughter of the Shadowfox Lord."

"Wow... let's see if I can compare with that," Kitsune said drly.

"I warn you now, Inu-Yasha, his identity may shock you... though it will hardly surprise you humans, I suppose," Sesshomaru stated blankly.

"Oh, and one thing first... Sesshomaru? Your pet is still frozen," Kitsune said, pointing towards Rin. Sure enough, the little girl was carrying out her lord's order, standing still as a statue. A bird was sitting on her shoulder.

"Oh, Rin, you can move now," Sesshomaru said, heaving a sigh.

"Thank you, Fluffy!" Rin cried happily, stretching and falling flat into the grass, causing the robin on her arm to flutter away in a startled manner. Inu-Yasha burst out laughing again.

"Did she just call you 'Fluffy'!" the hanyou sputtered when he could actually talk. Sesshomaru looked rather annoyed.

"Kitsune, introduce yourself and save Sesshomaru!" Ayame snapped at the other fox.

"One second," Kitsune said, also trying to recover from a laughing fit, "Okay, I think I'm all right now... Anyway, I am Kitsune, also a Level 1 Shadowfox, though it took quite a lot of threats to get there.. Partner to Ayame, half-brother to Sesshomaru, and brother to Inu-Yasha."


	2. Kiru

Disclaimer: they're all the same... they're pointless... u know what it says...

"WHAT!" Was the general reaction of Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Miroku.

Inu-Yasha, however, crossed his arms and plopped down into a sitting position, deep in thought.

"Wow... That was quite the opposite of the reaction I was expecting..." Kitsune said, obviously rather amused at their expressions.

"Damn," Inu-Yasha muttered, "This could could complicate things..."

"Actually, it could help you," Sesshomaru said. They all turned to look at him. Even Kitsune and Ayame seemed doubtful.

"It can?" Kitsune asked. Now it was his turn to be stared at.

"Well, that's a great sign of things to come..." Sango stated dryly.

"Not all things to come are bad..." Miroku grinned pervertedly. Sango cast the most vicious look they had ever seen towards Miroku. He gulped and slowly started edging his hand back to his own personal space. In other words, away from Sango's butt.

"Miroku," she said in a quietly vicious voice, "If you want to keep that hand, you'll keep it away from me!"

"Understood." Miroku nodded.

"I thought monks weren't supposed to lie," Inu-Yasha remarked bluntly. Miroku glared at him and opened his mouth to protest, but was interupted by Inu-Yasha's sudden "Ow!"

Myoga jumped onto Inu-Yasha's shoulder.

"Kitsune, first of all, you messed up..." the flea began in a busineness like manner, "You are only Lord Inu-Yasha's half-brother, not full." He paused, then his voice dropped down in a terrified manner, " Where is she?"

"Who?" Inu-Yasha demanded.

"You did not bring her?" the flea asked hopefully.

"Who!" the dog hanyou cut in again.

"AAAH! SHE'S here!" Jaken exclaimed, terrified, hiding behind Sesshomaru's leg.

"WHO!"

((WHACK))

Shippo had thwacked the dog in the back of the head.

"If you would shut up, maybe we could find out!" the tiny fox said. They all turned to Kitsune for an answer. His eyes were closed and his ears were flat against his head. He was giving an answer a good thought first.

"Wow... he's thinking... I've never seen him do that before..." Ayame said, faking awe. Kitsune's ears twitched in an agitated manner. He opened his eyes. He was about to make a dry retort when the answer hit him.

"Oh! Myoga, you mean Kiru?" the Shadowfox asked.

"YES!" Jaken and Myoga answered in unison. Sesshomaru sighed.

"Quite sad, actually, that Jaken or Myoga, for that matter, would be afraid of something so small..." The demon lord said exasperatedly.

"Kiru's asleep! Wanna meet her?" Kitsune asked everyone.

"Umm...sure...?" Kagome answered for 'everyone' except Sesshomaru, Jaken and Myoga.

"NO!" Once again, the flea and the gargoyle (? what IS he anyway?) answered in unison.

"OK!" Kitsune said. He reached up his sleeve and pulled out a very agitated snake, a poisonous, vivid green in color. She hissed, clearly very annoyed.

"What have you gotten in to now, Kitsune?" She asked.

"Nothing, yet!" The fox said, mocking surprise in the fact that she thought he was in trouble, "Why would you think that?"

"It's been known to happen..." the snake answered dryly.

"Anyway, guess who I found!"

"Something to chase, kill, maim, or torture?" the snake asked, as if this was something common.

"No, not this time..." He held the snake up and she twisted around his arm and blinked bright green-yellow eyes as if trying to wake up.

"So the dog found you, huh?"

"No, Sesshomaru spoiled the surprise before it got interesting," Kitsune said, shrugging.

"Wait... Interesting?" Sango cut in.

"Well, DUH!" Shippo interupted. Shadowfoxes are both not only known for their ability to hide their scents...and do other things like that... but also their love of pranking!"

"Y'know, I have a little brother who's a lot like you..." Ayame said, thinking of some other place.

"Oh, God (srry), please don't tell me you brought him with you or anything! Niko's nuthin' but a pain in the"

"Kitsune! He's just a kit!" Ayame snapped. Kitsune scowled at her.

"To you, maybe... I swear he's a spy from your dad..." Kitsune muttered, "Anyway, this is Kiru!" He gestured to the snake. "And obviously, Myoga and Jaken don't like her..."

"What was your first clue!" Jaken snapped, "Lord Sesshomaru, this is a waste of time! Let us go!"

"No. This is interesting now." The demon lord shooed him away. Jaken scowled.

"Why do you hate her?" Inu-Yasha asked the flea on his shoulder.

"She's evil..." Myoga shuddered, "Besides, her original purpose was something completely different..."

"Indeed, and she failed," Sesshomaru said.

"And what might've been her original purpose?" Miroku asked.

"To kill me." Kitsune shrugged it off like it was nothing and twirled the snake on his hands adoringly.

"Her kill you!" Inu-Yasha started laughing.

"She's a youkai snake who can be a lot bigger than she is now," Kitsune said, nodding knowingly.

"Oh, really?" Inu-Yasha inquired, suddenly interested, "How big can she get?"

"Oh, not very big," Kitsune said nonchalantly, "Only about two hundred and fifty feet long." He smiled at their expressions. Even Sesshomaru looked a bit surprised.

"Does she help you fight?" Inu-Yasha questioned, continuing his pop quiz.

"Yes! A lot!" Kitsune said happily.

"Wanna trade?" Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha both held up their "assistants".

Author's Notes: Sorry I screwed up! in the first chapter when Kitsune said that he was Inu-Yasha's brother! My bad! Anyway... i had to fix it somehow... and so it's in this chapter... and sorry if a certain character isn't saying a lot. like at the moment Sango, Kagome and Ayame seem to be quite distracted... srry there's a lot of 'em to keep up with!

Review responses:

WAAAHH! I ONLY GOT ONE!... where the hell did that come from! ... anyway thank u for my one review and i will update if I get more... (not that i won't update the story if I don't i'll just update this part) onward!

DarkGoddess29-As I said, I corrected it so please back off. I dont wanna sound rude, but don't yell at me. If I really bother you that much with this story, then here's a helpful tip that most authors would give you: DON'T READ IT! and yes, i did change this review response to fit my "Flame me, screw you" policy.


	3. Complete and Utter Randomness and Confus

Disclaimer:if I owned Inu-Yasha, then i wouldn't be writing this and YOU WOULD ALL BE WRITING FOR ME! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA! i do, however own Ayame (MY Ayame, not the other one) and Kitsune and other weird random OCs I add! u can use them if u ask! and I promise Kitsune will get darker, he's a little happy right now...his true character is very dark, sarcastic and dry..he's actually much more interesting than he's acting right now... ((glares at Kitsune))

Kitsune: ((gulp))

ONWARD TO THE STORY! (BTW I AM SOOOOOO SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK SO LONG! I HATE WRITER'S BLOCK! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!)

So with Jaken and Myoga's cries of "NOOO! Please, M'Lord!" in the background, Shippo decided to make his opinion known.

"I don't trust you," the tiny fox said plainly.

"And I care because...?" Kitsune asked, giving the red fox kit a dry look.

"Kitsune!" Ayame snapped, elbowing him.

"Fine!" He growled back. He turned to Shippo, "Why is that?"

"Because, _one_, you're a Shadowfox, a species known for their cunning and cruelty. And _two_, your partner is nice and you two argue, making you mean!" Shippo concluded triumphantly, holding his finger in the air, as if he'd just solved something important, like a formula that would remove Myoga from Inu-Yasha's finger.

"PLEASE, LORD INU-YASHA! I BEG OF YOU! GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE!" the tiny flea said, giving "Lord" Inu-Yasha the greatest example of puppy dog eyes they had ever seen. Which was weird, considering he was a flea.

"I think you've been around the dog family too long, Myoga. You're starting to act like them..." Kagome noted, the volume of her voice dropping as she noticed both Inu-Yasha, Kitsune, and Sesshomaru's deathglares.

"Ahem!" They all turned to look at Ayame.   
"Well, Kiru, if you would be so kind as to remove Myoga from Inu-Yasha's hand..." She trailed off, looking at the snake. She hissed in response, nodding her head wisely.

Myoga gulped.

"DON'T YOU LET THAT EVIL CREATURE NEAR ME!" the old flea squeaked, trembling in fear.

"Then get OFF my FINGER!" Inu-Yasha snapped back.

"Or would you like to find yourself quite _forcefully_ removed?" Kiru said in an evilly venomous tone.

"Kiru! I said you weren't allowed to kill anyone unless _I_ was in on it!" Everyone turned to look at Kitsune dryly, he looked a bit disoriented, just like a little puppy trying to cover up a mistake, "W-w-which I'm not..."

"Now you know how I feel, I have that deathglare to deal with _every_ day..."

Inu-Yasha whispered to the fox, while steadily staring at Kagome.

"Inu-Yasha..." Kagome's tone was definately a familiar one for Inu-Yasha. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Myoga all looked like they knew what was happening. Kitsune and Ayame listened intently...considering they had NO clue what was going on.

"U-uh... I didn't mean it! Really!" Inu-Yasha desperately tried to save himself.

"Hmm...now _this_ just got more interesting..." Kitsune muttered to Ayame, receiving a sharp elbow in the ribs for his twisted humor.

"SIT, BOY! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT S-I-T!" Kagome shouted at the hanyou (or the dog one, at least). Of course, the dog hanyou was no longer there. In his place was merely an Inu-Yasha-shaped crater.

"Well, that was definately a bit strange..." Ayame said, eyeing the hole, she looked back at Kagome and scooted away a few inches, "Can you do that to _all_ half-demons, or just him...?"

"Why, Ayame, are you scared?" Kitsune taunted his partner. Kitsune's only response was once again an elbow in the ribs.

"OW! Will you stop that, wench!" Kitsune snapped at her.

"You took the words right outta my mouth..." A dirt-covered Inu-Yasha crawled out of the hole in the ground.

"YOU HAVE GRASS STAINS ON YOUR FACE!" Shippo burst out laughing. As we can all imagine, he was pummeled immediately quite thoroughly by everyone's favorite grass-stained inu-hanyou.

"No, unfortunately it only works on Inu-Yasha..." Sango said, eyeing the two Shadowfoxes wearily. It was obvious Shippo wasn't the only one who didn't trust them.

"Hmmm... it's because of that necklace, isn't it?" Kitsune asked. They all turned to look at him, even Sesshomaru and Jaken. Kiru looked up and stopped slithering toward Myoga and turned back to Kitsune.   
"Yes... but what makes you say that...?" Kagome was a bit suspicious now. _How did he know?_ She asked herself, and by looking at the expressions on her friends' faces, she knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Well, the necklace has an aura... a faint one, but an aura all the same. It carries the aura of quite a few priestesses... my guess is that the aura of the one who created it, the aura of the one who put it around your neck, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome's aura, since it seems she's the one who can slam you into the ground at full force..." The Shadowfox trailed off, looking confused that everyone was staring at him, "What?"

"How did you guess that?" Miroku asked, reading everyone _else's_ mind.

"Well, can't you feel its aura?" The Shadowfox replied, shrugging.

"Well... No..." The monk replied uneasily.   
"_I_ can't even feel it, and _I'm_ a _full_ demon... and you honestly expect me to believe that you can feel its aura and _you're_ a half-breed!" Sesshomaru made everyone stare at him.

"Well, all I have to say is that you should really learn to listen more, instead of making your opinion known!" Kitsune shot back at his oldest brother.

"Why, you impudent little" Sesshomaru began, but Ayame cut off his insult, which most likely would've ended in an unprintable obscenity.

"Kitsune! That _wasn't_ very respectful of your older brother!" She whacked him upside the head.

"Why the hell should I care, anyway, huh! After all, it's all HIS fault that I was" Ayame covered her partner's mouth before he said something he'd regret.

"Kitsune..." Sesshomaru's tone was definately a warning.

"Oh, right, I forgot...I'm not allowed to reveal any of that now... Damn that town... we're too close to it..." Kitsune once again trailed off.

"Ooookay then... _I'm_ officially weirded out... what about the rest of you?" Kagome turned to Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Myoga, and to her surprise, Jaken.

"It is something that will be known in time," Ayame said simply, "Just like some people you have met along the way..."

"Oh, speaking of which, Kitsune, where's the other delinquent you're usually found with? You know, the one who's more like you, and lacks the common sense," Sesshomaru said, earning himself a venomous glare from both Kitsune and Ayame.

"If you're asking about My _father_ the Shadowfox _lord_, then he is just fine!" Ayame snapped, her fists clenching. She was now on her feet, with one hand on a katana."No, Ayame, he said someone _I'm_ found with, which _completely_ rules out your father..." Kitsune said, grabbing the hem of her gi.

"This is true... "Ayame said, sitting back down next to her partner. She and Kitsune looked deep in thought for a moment.

"I know!" Kitsune declared triumphantly, "HE MEANS KASU!"

"Ah, yes, Kasu..." Ayame rolled her eyes, "How could I forget Kasu?..."

"Yeah, how _did_ you forget Kasu?.. He's not really someone you can forget..." Kitsune muttered, also finding time to roll his eyes dryly.

"Who's Kasu, dare I ask?" Sango said, still watching their visitors intently.

"Well, umm... see... well..." Kitsune was at a complete loss for words and it was obvious.

"He's kinda hard to exlplain... because nothing will ever prepare you for the way he is..." Ayame also seemed totally helpess to explain.

"Oh for God's sake!" Sesshomaru snapped at the Shadowfoxes, everyone turned to look at him for his completely Out-of-character outburst, "He's a freaking drunk! He's not that hard to describe!"  
"That's not completely true... he doesn't have _some_ redeeming qualities..." Kitsune said, but he trailed off, and obviously didn't believe it himself.

"You're just saying that because he's your best friend," Ayame whacked her partner again. Sango, Kagome, Miroku, Shippo,(did I forget anyone! sheesh!) and everyone else (just in case I did lol) were looking completely dazed at everything that was being currently discussed.

"Well, NO ONE ASKED YOU!" Kitsune said, in defense of his supposed 'best friend,' "So just BEAT it, Fluffy!" Sesshomaru's eye twitched in a way that showed he was seriously pissed.

"What. Did. You. Call. Me...?" He asked, in a very evil tone.

"What? Did I make the puppy mad?" Kitsune taunted his brother. Ayame sighed, but everyone else looked a bit confused. Inu-Yasha pondered the reason for why Kitsune seemed so arrogant. Had he never felt Sesshomaru's poisonous talons? Or was he possibly so strong that he didn't care? Inu-Yasha's hope faded... _Or maybe, here's a thought, he's just stupid..._

"AM NOT!" Kitsune shouted at Inu-Yasha. Since, the dog hanyou didn't say anything out loud, _this_ outburst got even more attention than Sesshomaru's.

"W-what?" Inu-Yasha stammered, his shock evident by his expression.

"You called me stupid! I am NOT!" Kitsune snapped.

"That depends on the situation..." Ayame stated dryly, she seemed to be the only one who didn't find it strange that Kitsune had read his middle brother's mind. This time it was her turn to receive a sharp elbow.

"**_I AM NOT!_**" Kitsune snapped again.

"H-Howdid you read my mind!" Inu-Yasha growled at the fox, any trust he had actually been contemplating on giving the fox suddenly vanished.

"Well, I didn't actually read your _mind_... I just read your expression," Kitsune said, giving him a perfect anime-style peace sign. Everyone sweat dropped. It seemed their visitor was a just a bit more strange than he seemed...

"Kitsune, I told you not to do that, you scare people when you do!" Ayame snapped, she whacked him yet again (wow, 3 in one chapter, GO AYAME!).

"Well, I leave you now, because I refuse to be seen with such idiots as these two and my other brother..." Sesshomaru declared his leaving with a flick of his hand, as if simply saying that it wasn't worth his time.

"YEAH RIGHT!" Kitsune called after him, " YOU'RE JUST LATE FOR A MEETING WITH THAT STUPID BITCH, KAGURA!"

Everyone officially burst out laughing. Inu-Yasha turned blue he was laughing so hard, which was pretty hard considering he had only been laughing for a few seconds. Sesshomaru, of course, was NOT amused. Far from it, in fact. He was currently rushing at Kitsune in a demonic charge, with his Tokijin brandished. No one was really prepared for Kitsune's counterattack and block. The Shadowfox drew a simple human katana and met Tokijin. To everyone's surprise, he forced the Sesshomaru back, simply because of the full demon's surprise. They both landed on the ground

"You were lucky you surprised me, fox... Or let me assure you... you would _not_ have been so _lucky_...!" snapped an EXTREMELY angry Sesshomaru.

"It wasn't luck, Sesshomaru, it was nothing but _skill_ and you DAMN WELL KNOW IT!" Everyone sweat-dropped as Kitsune shouted at his oldest brother's retreating back.

"Kitsune, honestly, it's not worth it..." Ayame sighed, she shook her head.

"I severely disagree with that one..."Inu-Yasha said, "I agree with Kitsune, though... I gotta give you credit for that.. it was hilarious..." He started laughing again.

"So, exactly what is it that you want?" Sango asked, also trying not to laugh.

"Hmm..." Ayame pondered for a moment, "Kitsune, I have no idea. Why _are_ we here, anyway!"

"And THAT, Ayame-chan, is exactly why _you_ aren't in charge of where we're going all the time!" Kitsune said triumphantly.

do you wanna know what kitsune wants! THEN STAY TUNED! BWAHAHAHAHAAAA! and i wanna thank K005 for their AWESOME review! ARIGATOU! thank you and i'm really, really, really, really(goes on like that for ten minutes before some random brick flies out of audience and gets knocked in head)OW! sorry... anyway, REALLY sorry for how long it took this chapter to get up! I HATE WRITER'S BLOCK! but i'd say it ended pretty successfully. and a bit of kitsune's TRUE attitude came out in this! YAY FOR MEE! lol. like the part where he says that they're too close to the town! if you wanna know what's goin' on with that, his story will soon be revealed! was inu the only one who was betrayed on that day 50 years ago! FIND OUT LATER! MWAHAHAHAHAA! and as for the ... umm... strange Kasu... he'll also make an appearance and believe me, this all comes from my own twisted imagination cuz my randomness with kitsune poofing outta nowhere when i'm IMing them scares my friends and anyone else I talk to...

((kitsune poofs outta nowhere randomly))

Me:GAHH! like that...((whacks kitsune))

Kitsune: OWW! WTF WAS THAT FOR!

Me: FOR BEING YOU, BAKA!

the end for now, cuz this scene will get too violent to show viewers ((pulls out double katanas and strings Hiraikotsu across back outta nowhere)) lol LATER! REVIEW PLEASE AND BE KNOWN!


	4. The High Priestess Tomoe and the Haunted

Author's Notes:YAY! I LOVE THIS SONG! "BROKEN" BY SEETHER FEAT/ AMY LEE FROM EVANESCENCE! umm... anyhoo... excuse the randomness... but this song kicks ASS! SO THERE!

and for my reviews... which i usually do at the END of the chapter are going to be right NOW cuz i have a special dedication! YAY!

waterdragonmaster-thankx so much for ur nice review! YAY! i guess i'll hafta block writer's block and come up with somethin' really good for this story soon since so many ppl seem to like it! -

Dark Dragon Kitsune- thanx for readin' my story courtney!

HOLLABACK- JORDAN THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU TOTALLY RULE! I ASKED YOU TO READ AND REVIEW AND YOU DID! YAY FOR YOU YOU ROCK! unlike JAEL! ((glares at Jael)) meanie...

Jael: I TOLD YOU I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GET ON TO ANYMORE! MY PARENTS BLOCKED IT!

me: yeah... riiiight that's what they ALL say! meanie!

Jael: ((sigh)) i give up...

me: SO FOR ALL OF YOU WHO WAITED FOR IT! HERE'S THE FOURTH CHAPTER WHICH I WILL TYPE THE TITLE FOR CUZ IT'S TOO LONG FOR THE THINGY AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE!

Disclaimer: almost forgot it this time... oopsies... that woulda sucked... anyhoo... i don't own inu-yasha... ((snuffle)) DAMMIT TO HELL I WISH I DID THOUGH! I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I?

lawyers: not of that

me: DAMN LAWYERS! DIE! ((pulls out shotgun))

ONWARD TO THE STORY!

Shadowfox Chapter 4: The High Priestess Tomoe and The Haunted City of Yokohama

"I came to help you destroy Naraku!" Kitsune finished.

"And why would you put yourself in our battle?" Sango asked.

"And without knowing the terms or reasons or..." Miroku began.

"Because, I have reasons of my own," Kitsune said in a tone full of hatred for the youkai that had caused them all so much pain.

"And what might your reasons _be_?" Kagome pried. All of them were suspicious of Kitsune and Ayame. Not to mention their uneasy wonder of what exactly his reasons were.

"Yeah, fox, you don't seem like the type to just help someone out.." Inu-Yasha snapped at the Shadowfox.

"Are you truly so thickheaded that you believe you're the only ones who've been hurt by that bastard Naraku!" Kitsune snarled at his older brother.

"_What did you call me!" _the inu-hanyou growled, his hand flying to the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"I merely spoke the truth!" Kitsune shot back, "I have been betrayed because of Naraku as well, you idiot!"

"By who! _Huh_! I doubt that you have EVER known betrayal, fox!" Inu-Yasha growled at him.

"And what if I have! Do you think you're the only one who knows what it feels like!" Kitsune snapped, his hand also at his blade's hilt.

"Do you think you could stop my Tetsusaiga with that pathetic human sword!" Inu-Yasha was all but challenging his younger brother.

"I probably could, ya bastard!" Both demons were on their feet.

"TETSUSAIGA!" Inu-Yasha drew the steel-cleaving fang.

"This sword is more than what it looks like!" Kitsune said in a taunting tone, "Kiba no Ryu!"Now, as we can all imagine, THIS got some stares. Kitsune drew a blade that matched Tetsusaiga's size but not its appearance. The new sword looked like grained wood. The steel itself seemed to flow in one smooth direction under its solid surface but what disturbed them most is that the "Kiba no Ryu" was bloodstained horribly. It was knicked as if it'd been used many times.

"W-w-what IS that!" Shippo was stammering so badly that they were surprised he didn't fall off Kagome's shoulder.

"My weapon of choice," Kitsune answered simply.

"No shit, sherlock!" Inu-Yasha snapped, "He meant what the hell's the deal with that thing!"

"It's been used many a time... or at least more than yours!" Kitsune said, eyeing the Tetsusaiga's nearly flawless steel compared to his blade.

"Hmmm... Kiba no Ryu... interesting name... what type of sword is it?" Kagome asked. She seemed to be contemplating the name.

"Enchanted, duh!" Kitsune growled.

"We figured that much!" Miroku snapped.

"She means what was it made from, fox!" Sango said in an annoyed tone, though she almost sounded exasperated.

"Oh, well, it was made from"

"I WANNA TELL THE STORY!" Myoga had reappeared out of nowhere, as he was so good at doing and had now taken up his usual position on Inu-Yasha's shoulder, "Ahem..."

"What makes you think you know about MY sword!" the fox hanyou growled.

"That's a good point, Myoga!" Inu-Yasha snarled at his supposed "helper."

"Well... erm... I really have no idea of how the Kiba no Ryu came to be..." the old flea admitted.

"Which is exactly why I am going to tell them what it is!" Kitsune snapped.

"Oh, this should be good... I don't even know if _he_ knows how it was made..." Ayame stated boredly, yawning afterwards.

"What are you, a fox or a cat!" Kitsune shot at his partner, "Anyway, as I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interupted by a certain _someone_..." He glared at Ayame. Ayame 'hmphed' in return. "The Kiba no Ryu was made from two sources or 'binding agents' as Totosai so lovingly calls them..."

Inu-Yasha rubbed his jaw slightly in remembrance of how one of his fangs had been pulled out for a "binding agent" to repair Tetsusaiga, "Okay, fox, so whose fangs built your blade!"

"A fang from the dragon, Ryukotsusei and a claw of the great Inutaishou!" Kitsune said, running a finger down the sword lovingly.

"B-But that's impossible!" Myoga stammered, jumping up and down from his new position on

Inu-Yasha's shoulder.

"Oh, really? Would you like to tell us why, Myoga?" Ayame snapped.

"Because, My Lord, the Inutaishou, would NEVER lose a claw to something so weak as the dragon Ryukotsusei!" The old flea seemed satisfied with his arguement.

"The old bastard lost a fang to 'im, didn't he?" Kitsune snarled.

"H-How _dare_ you speak of your father like that!" Myoga shouted at the fox.

"Because I don't like him... He wasn't a good father, I s'pose..." Kitsune shrugged. It was obvious he didn't care what any of them thought of him.

"Well, as riveting as this conversation is," Sango stated in a business-like manner until her tone turned impatient,"That doesn't answer our question! Why do you want to help us destroy Naraku?"

"Because," Kitsune said," Y'see this?" He gestured to a thick scar in the shape of a cross running down his right eye and above his left, "Ya' think I did this to myself!"

"You mean you've fought Naraku before!" Miroku asked, completely stunned, his expression like that of his friends.

"Well, we tried to..." Ayame said, yawning again, "But Kitsune's plan is to rush into everything without contemplating what happens if we lose.."

"No, you just can't think as fast as I can!" Her partner snapped.

"Geez, sounds like the brothers are pretty alike..." Kagome said dryly, rolling her eyes.

"We are NOT!" Inu-Yasha growled back.

"Do you want me to sat the s-word again!" The modern-day girl shot back.

"Well, n-no..." The inu-hanyou shrunk back. He really didn't want to be sat again if he was willing to give up an arguement against Kagome.

"Well, actually, Naraku didn't do this," Kitsune said, saving his older brother and changing the subject yet again, "Ayame did..."  
Everyone was kind of just staring at that point.

"You know I couldn't help it!" Ayame snapped at her partner.

"Oh, yeah right! How the HELL am I supposed to believe that you rendered my friggin' BLIND in my right eye for two weeks on ACCIDENT!"

"I dunno... but you better find a way, 'cause it's _true_..." The vixen trailed off.

"Riiiiiiiight..." Her partner said sarcastically.

"Did it ever occur to you that she could've been under Naraku's control!" Sango snarled, surprising herself that she came to the aid of a Shadowfox.

"Finally! _Someone_ gets it! Thank you, Sango!" Ayame said triumphantly.

"Well, one last thing..." Kagome said, her eyes falling to one of the fox's arms. He followed her gaze, "What's up with that cut on your arm...?"

"Hmm? Oh, this?" The fox looked rather uncomfortable as he pulled up the sleeve of his right arm revealing a long spiraling scar that looked chillingly like a dragon curling down from his shoulder to his wrist, "Well, ummm nothing really... nothing important..."

"Uh-uh, Kitsune! She asked and that means you hafta tell your story!" Ayame shouted at him.

"Dammit, vixen! Shut up, will ya!"

"No, 'cause you hafta tell!"

"Damn..." Kitsune growled.

"I didn't mean to bring back bad memories if that's what I did..." Kagome said timidly.

"No, Kagome, don't apologize," Sango said, still very suspicious of their visitors-turned-supposed-allies, "I wanna know what the fox's history is!"

"Fine!" Kitsune sighed.

"So... where d'ya wanna start? Huh? _Huh?_" Ayame asked excitedly.

"Have you never heard your partner's history before!" Shippo asked, shocked.

"Well, umm.. no..." the vixen replied, shifting uneasily.

"And you work with him!" Shippo inquired, "I wouldn't do a single thing around him until I knew about him!"

"Well, I know part of it..." Ayame said, obviously still uncomfortable.

"And if you want to know the rest of it, you'll shut up!" Kitsune snapped at her.

"Okay, then! Tell it!" The vixen settled on the cool ground.

"Hmm... well, I s'pose the story begins with the high priestess named Tomoe and that damned city of demons, Yokohama..."

"YES!" Ayame said happily, "I finally get to hear the story!"

well, whaddya think? cliffy, huh? anyhoo the next chapter's gonna be called Trust and Betrayal and yeah, I know it's the title of an RK Samurai X movie and yeah I know Kenshin TOTALLY KICKS ASS! YAY! umm.. anyway... it'll be Kitsune's story! YAY! .! don't worry it won't be very fluffy ... not very fluffy... and if you don't like fluff and want to miss an important part in the story then just skip it! boy, if that doesn't sell something I dunno what does...

OH AND ONE MORE THINGY! ummm... that wasn't supposed to sound gross, ya pervs! ((smacks Jordan)) YAY THAT'S TWO SHOUT-OUTS TO JORDAN IN ONE CHAPTER I'M ON A ROLLLL! ((slaps self)) BAD ME! let's see if I can finish this without being sidetracked again, shall we? anyhoo, i'm going to start reading and reviewing a story for each of the people who review my story who have stories published! ((reads over that again)) umm... that wasn't supposed to sound that confusing... well, here's a basic translation: if you have a story and you've reviewed Shadowfox, then you can expect to get a review from me! YAY! that's a fair trade, right? a review for a review? Later! see ya next chapter and thanks for all the good reviews! I LOVE GOOD REVIEWS! THEY KEEP ME FROM FALLING TO WRITER'S BLOCK!


	5. Trust & Betrayal

Author's Notes: BLAH! ... hmm... is it time for another chapter already? hmm.. YAY! i was bored... i'm tired of reading fics over and over and over and over again when i'm bored... hmm... i need some new fics... AND I PROMISE I WILL REVIEW THE FICS OF THE PPL WHO REVIEWED ME! i just haven't really had time... lame excuse, i know, but i haven't really been on... hmm... YAY I GOT THREE NEW EMAILS AND THEY'RE ALL GOOD REVIEWS! YAY! I FEEL LOVED! ((hugs reviews)) ((kicks computer)) i hate this thing... it always deletes my reviews.. and the last chapter should be fixed now.. i know it was REALLY effed up, but it should be better, CUZ THIS IS THE REFORMED VERSION OF THIS CHAPTER, TOO! YAY! all of the chapters are getting corrected, re-uploaded, and replaced with the right version. and reviews will be at the bottom like they usually are... or are supposed to be at least...

and if you wanna skip this chapter all it is is Kitsune's past and more tied to the Shikon Jewel... blah blah blah... anyhoo, u can skip this chapter but it might help u to understand the story more... how should i know.. i don't even have it planned out or anything.. i don't even know how it's going to end or WHEN it's going to end for that matter... ((continues babbling pointlessly as story begins)) OH YEAH! THE DISCLAIMER!

disclaimer: blah! they're all the same... i don't own it but I DO OWN A CRAPPY COMPUTER! BOO FOR ME! BLAH!

Kitsune sighed and tried to begin his story. He soon found that this wasn't as easy as he'd hoped.

"Wait... 'City of Demons?'" Kagome asked, looking a bit confused.

"Yes, in the Sengoku Jidai, the city of Yokohama is the city of the demons," Sango said, nodding gravely.

"Correction. City of the 'Sacred' Demons," Kitsune put an accent on the word 'sacred,' making it clearly sound like he thought it was bull.

"What's so sacred about a city of _demons_!" Inu-Yasha snapped.

"They're supposedly 'great veterans that protect the earth'," Kitsune said, striking a mock-regal tone.

"Start the story!" Shippo said, his eyes were fixed on the Shadowfox.

"Sheesh! All right!"Kitsune snapped in return.

"Sorry, but I love stories!" the little red fox said excitedly.

"Yes, start the story!" Ayame said. She was as worked up as the kit.

"Why do I think I just backed myself into a corner by letting Kagome see this scar?"

"'Cuz you did!" His partner wasn't helping at all. Obviously.

"Fine... It started in the City of Yokohama about fifty years ago..."

"Fifty years!" Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kagome and Inu-Yasha chorused.

"Yes, fifty years, do you have a problem with that!" the Shadowfox growled.

"Just how old _are_ you?" Kagome asked.

"Hmmm..." he began to count on his fingers, causing everyone to perform a perfect anime-style sweatdrop. He finally seemed to come to a conclusion, "I'm sixty-five!"

"WHAT!" Was everyone's reaction except for Ayame, of course, who had known that for quite a while, apparently.

"So? Inu-Yasha's _sixty-seven_..." Kitsune said defensively.

"You are!" Kagome turned to Inu-Yasha.

"Well, yeah, it makes sense, doesn't it? I was seventeen when I met Kikyo, and then I was pinned to a freakin' tree for fifty years so that adds up to sixty-seven, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... but" Kagome looked quite confused.

"Just forget it! It's way too confusing for humans to understand, since demons live much longer than they do," Myoga piped up, for the first time in a while. He then looked around, trembling, "Ummmm... Where did Kiru get to?"

"I dunno, probly off hunting or sumpthin'," Kitsune shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hunting _what_, might I ask?" Sango inquired suspiciously.

"Uhhh... Time for the story!" Kitsune clearly didn't want to go into that.

"Okay!" Shippo exclaimed.

50 Years Ago, In The City Of Yokohama

A beautiful priestess sat there, her bow balanced delicately over her slim frame, hidden in a long cloak she wore, for the evening was cold. She glanced to her guardian, and couldn't help but sigh when she saw he was asleep. She resisted the urge to pull his fox ears, that balanced in such a cute way on his head. She sighed again. She was tired. In fact, if it wasn't for some 'anonymous' tip they had received from one of the bordering groups of rogue demons, she _would_ be asleep. But no, someone _had_ to attack the village tonight, of all nights, when she was extra-tired from her unusually stressful day of purification.

Of course, she should've known something was wrong, since so many demons seemed to be hovering about that day. A young demon had knocked on her door earlier today and had told her breathlessly that a powerful youkai planned to send hordes of demons down on her village. And, as the priestess, it was her sole duty to protect it. It would be her responsibility alone if a young fox demon hadn't found his way here from the neighboring forest. He challenged her, and defeated her easily. Her excuse when he teased her about it now was that she was young, still coming into her priestess powers and that if they were to fight now, she could effortlessly exorcise him. But the strangest thing was, that when he defeated her, he spared her. He was not only a rogue demon, but a Shadowfox. Both species were _not_ known for their mercy or compassion, but simply, their love to kill and skill in battle. Instead of simply murdering her, which he could have done easily, he offered to be her guardian by means of tricking her into it. Making her think that she needed him, when in truth, now that she knew more about his past and the fox himself, it was _he_ who needed _her_.

She smiled at the memory of the ten-year-old demon she had met five years ago, and how he was still cocky and arrogant to this day. As she remembered, she drifted off to sleep. Almost immediately, she felt herself shaken awake by a very familiar hand on her shoulder.

"You're falling asleep, Tomoe!" Kitsune smirked down at her, in that self-confident way of his.

"You got to, leave me alone!" The High Priestess Tomoe of Yokohama shoved his hand away.

"I was not! I was resting my eyes!" He protested, sounding like a small child that hadn't gotten his way.

"Yeah right.. That's what you _always_ say!" The two teenagers continued to argue. Tomoe, the immortal Priestess, and Kitsune, the rogue fox-hanyou. Until the voice of an old woman snapped through the previously-still air.

"Tomoe! Kitsune! You two should be preparing to fight demons, not _ARGUING_!"

"Sorry, mom!" Tomoe called out, flushing with embarassment at being repremanded by someone whose skill was lower, but whose rank was much higher, not to mention being yelled at in front of Kitsune. The aformentioned demon laughed.

"Yeah, okay, _mom_!" He called back sarcastically to the second room of the cabin. His response was getting hit in the head by a pan, held by the hand of the former lady of Yokohama, namely, Tomoe's mother.

"That's what you get, you arrogant little"

"Tsk, tsk!" Kitsune scolded in a perfect immitation of the old woman's voice, "Priestesses should not stain their lips with cursing!"

He got whacked again.

"OW! QUIT IT!" The fox hanyou tried to escape the abuse he was currently experiencing.

"No! You should respect your elders!"

"You're not MY elder! I don't even know how you're related to TOMOE!"

"Shhh! Both of you!" Tomoe hushed the two, "Do you hear that!"

"Of course I do, you dolt!" Kitsune snapped, "I can hear better than you! I can also smell, and _feel_ that..."

"Their auras are tremendous.." The retired priestess said wearily.

"This battle will _not_ be easy..." Tomoe sighed yet again, for the third time that evening.

"Yes, Fox, do you think you can handle it?" The elderly woman teased the youkai.

"Of course!" He snorted, "They're just a bunch of loser lower-class demons!"

"And you are...?"

"Shut up, hag!"

"Would you two stop it!" Tomoe interupted them once more.

"All right then, girl, are you ready for this!" Her guardian charged, and she smiled at his eagerness to fight.

At that time, the two didn't realize that this would be their last fight together, and from then on, one side's love would turn to hatred, and one side's sadness would rule them.

She watched as her fox drew the simple twin katana at his sides. To see a demon of any kind fight with human weapons was rare. She hesitated for only a moment before launching next to him, she kept up easily, since he wasn't going nearly as fast as his godly speed could allow. He smirked at her, as he disappeared, using both his inherited rapidity and his teleportation skills. She slid to a stop, and drew her trademark six arrows that no other priestess had ever been able to match. She knocked them into her bow and launched them all in one fluid motion. She looked up and smiled as the arrowheads gleamed with her powers of purification. The glowing lights, now no longer her arrows, but streaming jets of her own determination to protect, slashed through the hordes of demons. Once they were touched by the young priestess's power, they screamed protests and launched an attack of their own, seeming to ignore their brethren who exploded and evaporated, due to being exorcised by the arrows.

Tomoe looked satisfied before she saw the demons split up, into at least five groups of about five hudred of them each. She didn't like the looks of this. What youkai could possibly be so strong that he could bribe this many demons to come to his aid? She glanced toward her guardian, and again,didn't like what she saw. Kitsune had sheathed his blades and was now resorting to his shapeshifting abilities. He was currently still fighting strong, slaughtering the demons that would have overpowered him if he didn't have the extraordinary skills he did. She turned back to another team of demons that had alighted on the village itself, she was filled with a new courage, seeing her protector rip through them easily. It was always a contest between them. Who could kill the most demons without getting hurt. Who could live through this battle, even. Tomoe turned skillfully and fired more of her powerful arrows. She cursed slightly as one arrow missed as a demon swerved frantically, but smirked as his dodge took him into Kitsune's range, and he was ripped apart in a rather gory way.

He ran to her, not noticing a demon that managed to get behind him and rip a large hole through his shoulder. He turned on one heel and slashed through its body, leaving the shreds of it fluttering through the air to the ground.

"Kitsune!" She called him.

"Shut up, you moron!" He snapped at her.

"Why!" She growled defensively, "Because I saw you get hurt and I was worried!"

"No! Because we're in a barrier and the more we talk, the easier they can see through it, stupid!"

"Oh..." She could now see the glimering evidence of the foxfire shield flickering through the night air.

"Okay, we need a plan. There are too many of them to fight with brute strength!" Kitsune said breathessly.

"Wow.. you came up with that on your own?"

"Shut up! Now's _not_ the time to be teasing each other, okay!" Tomoe nodded. He was right. They really needed to come up with an idea that would destroy these demons. They were distracted, though, as several set fire to the village, and the straw rooves and wooden buildings caught easily. The town was soon ablaze.

"Oh... shit..." Kitsune cursed, quite audibly.

"No!" Tomoe protested, she hit her knees and held her face in her hands, "I can't let this town be destroyed! Kitsune, what are we going to do! I can't let this happen! Everything I know exists here! This is my home!"

"Okay, I have a plan."

"And the villagers! They're sacred demons, and noble guardians! I have to get them out too!" She continued to shout, with tears now running down her face visibly.

"I know, idiot! Shut up and let me tell you how we're getting out of this!" She looked up at him and he gave her that confident smirk.

"O-Okay." She smiled through her tears.

"What we have to do is get you and the demons out of here!"

"Those demons!"

"Yes, those demons.. NO! Your sacred demons, you moron!"

"Oh! I knew that!"

"You're a bit thickheaded for a priestess, y'know that?

"Shut up! I can't think straight when I'm stressed!" Kitsune groaned at her response. This would be a lot more work than it should be.

"Okay, you go into the cabin and get your parents and have them help you evacuate the village!"

"All right."

"Then, I'll take care of the demons with my aura.. It's simple!"

"Is your aura _that_ strong?" The young priestess looked and sounded doubtful.

"Yes, it is!"

"Okay! Let's do it!" Kitsune's barrier pulled back and they both shot forward, in different directions. Tomoe headed towards the cabin where she was born and raised and woke her parents.

"Haven't you two taken care of those demons yet!" Her mother asked, quite peeved that she'd been woken up, only to discover that her daughter and her supposed 'guardian' were slacking off of their duties.

"That's the problem! There's too many of 'em! We have to evacuate!"

"Surrender!" Her father asked incredously.

"Yes!" Panted Tomoe, this shouldn'tve been so much work to convince them, "Then Kitsune will take care of them with his aura!"

"All right, let's go!" Her mother ran out of the tent, followed anxiously by Tomoe and her father. They were stunned by how much damage had been done and Tomoe was just plain pissed that Kitsune had let three buildings burn down in around ten seconds.

"Kitsune, you idiot, you're s'posed to protect the town, too, moron!" She shouted towards the fox, who was currently being pinned down by a saber-toothed cat demon.

"Y'wanna trade places, girlie!" He snapped as he turned into his fox-demon form, a giant kitsune with equally long saber teeth. He curled his back legs under the cat and kicked hard, ripping open its stomach and disemboweling it easily. Tomoe winced as its horrible screech of pain shattered the night even more. She stopped to fire several more arrows on her way to the cabins that sheltered her beloved sacred demons. She finally was able to reach several and ran down them in a row, ripping open the screen doors and shouting at the demons to follow her. They didn't protest, they just did what she said. She was the one they trusted most, the one who gave them sanctuary now. She soon had many out in the woods, gathered around her, while she counted them. Her parents ran into the clearing with about a hundred more demons each.

"Great! That's all of them! I'll go tell Kitsune!" Tomoe shot off in the direction of the collapsing city of Yokohama.

Kitsune saw her coming and immediately knew her message. What he didn't see, however, was the dragon that was currently parting the great scores of demons still left. He was huge and now towered over the unexpecting youkai. Tomoe shouted something at him and as soon as he understood it, he turned back slowly. The giant dragon curled over him and laughed as the fox launched worthless little attacks at him.

"That is pointless effort, boy, and we both well know it!" The dragon boomed in a deep voice that sounded chillingly amused.

"Tomoe, get back! Go back to the others!"

"I'll come back to help you after they're gone!"

"Whatever, just go!" He watched as she shot away, to the shelter of the trees that would hide her for now. He knew that if he failed this, they were all as good as dead. _Oh, goodie, let's just let that weigh in on my conscience, shall we?_ He thought bitterly. The dragon laughed again, a powerful voice that matched his aura and size and shook the very ground.

"You're far too inexperienced to mess with the likes of me! Do you honestly think you have even the slightest chance, fox!"

"Oh, _please_ let this work..." Kitsune muttered as he focused his mind on releasing the powerful aura that he had kept hidden until now. Tomoe felt a growing power, purely demonic and devastatingly evil. She gasped as she realized it was her Kitsune's.

"What is this, hm? The fox has some skill..." The dragon still loomed over him, and still ridiculed him. What he didn't know, Kitsune realized, is that the young fox's aura wasn't even near a fraction of being fully-released. The Shadowfox decided to shapeshift once more, in a form that was rarely seen among even the most skilled of shapeshifters. Tomoe watched from a tree deep in the forest, as her town burned down and her guardian's power grew. She looked on as his shape and size changed, the familiar foxfire curling around his form meaningfully. Finally, it revealed his new form, a beautiful black dragon, with a long wild mane of the same light blue in his eyes and the same-colored crystal talons and teeth. This clash wouldn't be one to be forgotten easily. She slid down the trunk as Kitsune's aura blasted over the top of the forest. They would have to run, the fox himself had underestimated the force of his own power. She could hear the slamming force and feel the horrible hot pressure of the iron-thick scales hitting each other. The two dragons dueled, unaware and uncaring of the damage they caused.

Finally, after about an hour, both of them had shrunk to a smaller form that wasn't so heavy on their shredded muscles. They went from being about five hundred feet long to being about ten feet long. Tomoe stumbled out of the bushes in the clearing where their exhausted fight continued. The other demons had dissipated, which made her suspicious. But what she saw now scared her more than anything else she had seen that evening. Her guardian was losing. Both dragons were pouring blood that their bodies couldn't spare. The fight was pointless. Both of them would most likely die. At least one would. She turned and ran. She couldn't watch her Kitsune's death. She knew she was doubting him, but it was for a good reason. Only an idiot would still have total faith that he could win and keep his life. As Tomoe ran back towards her helpless villagers, she heard a dragon's cry of death and pain. She didn't recognize it, but that didn't say anything at all about the outcome. She had never seen or heard Kitsune in a dragon form before, much less heard him die. Tears dripped down her face as she ran from her guardian, as she left him to die.

"So did he win!" Shippo asked, leaning forward almost to the point of falling flat on his face.

"No, he didn't. That's why Kitsune's sitting there, you idiot!" Inu-Yasha snapped, nudging the kit, and causing his actual fall.

"Owww! Meanie!" The kit bawled.

"Would you shut up!" the dog hanyou and kit began to argue. They were ignored.

"So, you mean to tell me _you_ were the legendary guardian of Yokohama!" Sango asked, shocked.

"I'm legendary?... Now _that's_ a new way to put it..." Kitsune said, looking off into space, his eyes fiery at the memory of his greatest weakness.

"So earlier when you said we were too close to the town, you met we're too close to Yokohama?" Kagome asked.

"You have a good memory... Yeah, that's why." The fox hanyou said absently.

"Cool! Can we go see the town!" Shippo leaped out of Inu-Yasha's grip, causing the dog hanyou to be the one to do a faceplant this time.

"I'd rather not..." the Shadowfox groaned. He clearly wanted nothing more to do with the city of 'Enchanted Demons.'

"Awww, c'mon, Kitsune! PWEEEZ!" Ayame said, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"Yeah, what can it hurt, after all?" Inu-Yasha had recovered from his meeting the ground and was now sitting upright again.

"But wait, you said it happened fifty years ago! Did it have something to do with the assault on Lady Kikyo and Inu-Yasha!" Miroku had been pondering this story and was now looking as if he'd just discovered something important.

"Yes, it happened on the same day." Well, that was a really helpful tip from Kitsune.

"Sooo, what does it have to do with the incident in Edo?" Shippo asked.

"Because, you know how Kikyo's powers were fading?" The Shadowfox addressed everyone.

"Well, yes..." Kagome said, "But"

"The reason that Yokohama was attacked was because Tomoe was Kikyo's successor. Y'know, to look after the Shikon Jewel. She had trained her whole life to do it. She and Kikyo were very close. They helped each other keep both towns safe." Finally, something a bit more useful.

"Well, what're we waitin' for! Let's go get _Lady Tomoe's_ side of the story!" Ayame grabbed Kitsune's sleeve and jumped up, dragging the other unwilling shadowfox with her.

"D'we hafta!" Kitsune complained.

"She's right, it could be helpful to further understand the predicament we're in against Naraku..." Miroku nodded wisely.

"Yes!" Ayame bounded off, still dragging her uncooperative partner. The others followed them closely.

"Stop!" Kitsune shouted at his comrade. Ayame halted abruptly. "We're at the outskirts of Yokohama!" He hissed up at her. She ducked down and joined him, crouching behind some bushes.

"What are we doing?" She asked him.

"I, too, would like to know that," Sango said, she and the others had caught up.

"So would I!" An unknown call rang out angrily. Kitsune flinched.

"Oh, shit!" He spat.

"Who is that!" Ayame asked, they now faced a small, purple dragon with dark eyes. She looked very ticked that there were intruders on her watch.

"The High Priestess's advisor... the dragon, Mai..." Kitsune growled in disgust.

"Oh, it's just a bunch of humans and a few _pet_ demons!" She spat at the group, her gaze lingering on the Shadowfox and his partner.

"Nice to see you again, too..." He snarled at her.

"I assumed you had gotten yourself killed somewhere else, where people actually _cared_.." She had this superior look on her face that made you really want to slap her.

"Actually, I'm giving a tour of Hell, y'wanna come!" He snapped.

"I _live_ here and personally, I think it's an Eden on earth!"

"Well, that's _one_ stuck-up hag's opinion!"

"Are you insulting me, fox!"

"Depends! Are you smart enough to figure that out on your own!" The dragon huffed angrily at that last comment.

"Fine!" She stomped away, her heavy feet leaving deep imprints in the earth.

"So tell me, Kitsune, are you truly that stupid, or do you always insult dragons?" Sango asked, sighing with relief that the demon was gone.

"Me an' her always hated each other!"

"Oh, like that's a surprise!" Ayame whacked him.

"Ow! What was that for!" Her partner rubbed the back of his head.

"Who are you and what is your business in Yokohama?" A new voice called out, and rang clearly around them. The sound tingled with the power of a priestess, and a powerful one at that, Kagome sensed.

A young-looking woman walked forward, her long black hair trailing down to her knees, forming a dark halo around her face. "I will have you know that demons are not welcome here unless they have contributed to the wellfare of the earth and humankind, and humans themselves are only allowed here if they are Immortal Humans or heroes!" She drew a longbow that had been strung across her back.

"Wait!" Kagome said hastily.

"And I should because?" The priestess could sense her power and both of them knew it. The great miko drew closer, and Kagome shrank back, as the woman's aura burned the air around her.

"B-Because we don't mean any harm!" Kagome called out. Her voice sounded incredibly small, lost in the priestess's power.

"Yeah, 'cuz we know HIM!" Ayame shoved her unfortunate partner forward, and gave her a smile.

"Ayame, c'mon! This _isn't_ fair!" He protested. A look of sad recognition came across her face.

"K-Kitsune?" Her voice trailed off to almost being silent as her expression faded to one of old memories and times gone bad.

Author's Notes: BLAH! Another cliffy! WHEEE! and the reason this chapter took so freakin' long is cuz i was grounded from the computer for about a week! A WHOLE STINKIN' WEEK! WHAT THE HELL AM I S'POSED TO DO WITH MY EXTRA TIME, THEN! well, i could plot out a new chapter... and actually be prepared to TYPE it... BUT THAT'S NOT AS FUN AS JUST CHANCING IT AND HOPING IT WORKS! and before you ask, no this isn't a Kitsune fic

Kitsune: oh, damn...

Me: ((glare)) ANYHOO.. it IS an IY fic and there WILL BE A FINAL BATTLE AGAINST NARAKU! WHEEEE! BUT IT'LL PROBLY END IN A CLIFFY! YAY! and there will be run-ins with KOGA and KAGURA AND ANOTHER ONE WITH SESSHOMARU! WOOHOOOOOO! Only thing is, this fic may be only for ppl who can read a fic with around twenty chapters. lol. I'm serious, though. this fic's gonna be a long one! WHEEE! be prepared for the long haul, ppl! and i promise i haven't forgotten my vow to review, like i said, i was grounded. and i WILL do it! TONIGHT WHEN I'M ALLOWED TO GET ON THE NET! (psst, no i'm not s'posed to be on now... don't tell, 'kay?) but i think my grounding ended pretty successfully, don't you? this chapter is 8 pages long... that's pretty good... and it's in a pathetic little font, so if i changed it, it'd go back to being 11... anyhoo, enjoy! and thanks for my reviews! here are their responses!

Review Responses:

FlamingKitsune21: YAY! A FELLOW KITSUNE PERSON! YES! thanks for your review! and sorry for getting you in trouble with the librarian but most can just kiss ass and die for all we care, right? lol hope you enjoy the rest of the story! i know this chapter wasn't that funny but the next couple will be to make up for it!

shadowthehedgehog: HIYA JORDAN! THANKS SO MUCH! like i said, this chapter wasn't gonna be real funny, but anyway the next few will, like i said. . i think i'll call you shadowthehedgehog from now on... lol

waterdragonmaster: thanks! well, here's this chapter! and as I've said to anyone else, the next few WILL BE FUNNIER! WHEEE! i'm gonna have fun with this fic, i can tell... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! . ENJOY!


	6. The Yokohama Shrine

Author's Notes: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!... now how's that for an interesting start? that's a great way to tell how good today's going... yay for me... anyhoo, plz forgive how horribly bad this chapter sucks. i had no idea what i was going to do for this one... so let me repeat my original message: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! i keep getting blamed for the shit my little brother does so today's just going wonderfully... woohoo.. and on top of that, it's not like i can work on my damn fic at school, cuz guess what! IT'S FKIN' BLOCKED, DAMMIT!... okay, now that we're all nice and worked up, shall we get on to saying that life and school suck and onward the story?

Oh... the disclaimer.. that's right.. I might need that, huh?

Lawyers: Yes.

me: Damn.. well here it is:

Disclaimer: I OWN INU-YASHA AS MUCH AS NEIL ARMSTRONG LIVES ON PLUTO WITH MICKEY MOUSE AND EDWARD SCISSORHANDS!... ummmmm.. no i don't get it either...

The priestess stood, clearly shocked, as she stared at the demon who she believed she'd never see again.

"Is that you?" Her voice seemed small and timid. Almost afraid.

"The one and only!" Ayame shoved her partner foward again, receiving a vicious deathglare from him. She stepped back nervously.

"They want to know about Naraku," Kitsune said flatly.

"Yes, Lady Tomoe, we would like to know about the Shikon Jewel and the demon hunting its shards," Miroku stated respectfully, then, about to drop his famous line: "Now, if you don't mind, I have something I'd like to ask you"

"And if I _do_ mind, what do you intend to do?" She asked coldly, the quiver of her voice gone. She was now gazing fiercely at the monk.

"My apologies, that was wrong..." Miroku said, casting his eyes downcast and looking like a little kid.

"Yes, it was..." Sango whacked him on the head... with Hiraikotsu, none the less.

"OW!"

"So, you wish to know of Onigumo and the demon he has become?" The priestess spoke up again, ignoring the quarrel between the monk, who was now begging for mercy and the demon slayer, who was enjoying every second of it.

"Well, umm... if it's not too much to ask... then yes," Kagome said, quietly, her gaze averting away from the priestess's demanding eyes.

"Then stop staring at your shoes and follow me." The miko turned, her long black hair flipping over her shoulder. Sango walked away with an annoyed 'Hmph!' at the monk who was currently laying on the ground, with a dazed look on his face. The Youkai Taijiya fell into step next to her friend, a few steps behind the priestess Tomoe. Inu-Yasha pulled Miroku to his feet.

"You're an idiot, monk..." He said with obvious disgust. Miroku was still slightly unconscious, though he was quickly awakened by a few good slaps.

"Wake up, you moron!" The dog hanyou snapped.

"Wha-?" Well, at least he was awake... Not able to think, but awake.

"C'mon, we're gonna go into Yokohama to talk to the priestess!" Shippo said excitedly, "Wow! A whole city of demons! I wonder if there are any powerful foxes in there who can teach me some good tricks!"

"I could teach you something..." Kitsune said, smirking maliciously.

"He probably wants to learn things that are oh, what's the word I'm looking for? Hmm, is it possibly LEGAL!" Ayame shouted at her partner.

"Well, maybe... If he wants to be a kit all his life.." Kitsune said, his evil smile still visible.

"DO NOT!" The little kit exclaimed. He was currently sitting on Inu-Yasha's shoulder, as Kagome was too far ahead, and Miroku was well... paying for being Miroku.

"If you want to live legally, then you are going to be a kit all your life!" The shadowfox snapped back.

"I WILL NOT! I'LL BE MUCH STRONGER AFTER WE DEFEAT NARAKU!" Shippo was pretty angry right now.

"Do you intend to _do_ anything in our fight with Naraku?" Inu-Yasha decided to get in on torturing Shippo, one of his favorite pasttimes.

"YES! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE! Don't you have some catching up to do with your brother, or sumpthin'!"

"No," Both demons stated flatly in unision. Apparently, they didn't really care what the other had been up to for the past sixty-five years. They finally reached the outskirts of the Great City of Yokohama. Tomoe lead them past rows of wooden cabins, thousands of them were visible from the hill they'd been walking down, and they truly saw how big this city was.

_Well, it makes sense,_Kagome thought,_ Yokohama is still a big city in modern times... maybe not a demonic city, but a big city all the same._

She finally stopped in front of a huge shrine placed in the middle of the city, the sturdy wooden colums that held up the balcony of a visible second floor. Overall, the shrine was far too large for the times.

"Well, you've rebuilt a lot, and the shrine's been salvaged..." Kitsune said, casting a glance over the entire city.

"This place is beautiful..." Sango said in an awestruck tone.

"That's where I've seen this shrine before!" Kagome burst out, making everyone jump, including Tomoe.

"What _are_ you talking about, wench!" Inu-Yasha snapped at the modern-day girl, who was grinning broadly from ear to ear.

"This shrine still exists in modern times!" She said triumphantly.

"Well, duh, I should hope so," Kitsune said, "It's protected by demonic power _and_ it was built by legendary demons. I would think it would still be around five hundred years from now."  
"Oh... well, still, I just discovered that!" Kagome said in a slightly embarassed tone.

"How old is this shrine, anyway? I mean, now," Miroku spoke up, sounding as dumbfounded as Sango.

"Is it as old as the city itself, just over six hundred years old," Tomoe said, shrugging like it was no big deal. Of course, this made a few jaws drop.

"WHAT!" Sango and Miroku snapped out of their dazes. Even Inu-Yasha looked up from his new arguement with Shippo.

"Of course this city would be old," Tomoe stated nonchalantly, "Demons have been around much longer than humans." She opened the thick wooden door of the shrine and walked in. They followed, their gazes flying to the elaborately decorated interior of the shrine. Tomoe lay one hand on the wall bearing a picture of the four demonic domains: West, East, South, and North, and the demons that ruled them, "This shrine was a gift from the demons themselves to the family of the priests and priestesses who would forever protect them."

"This is incredible!" Myoga said, another statement that made everyone jump, considering they didn't realize he was still there, "Look at the details in these carvings! Master Inu-Yasha, behold your father, Lord of the Western Lands!" He declared royally, gesturing to the picture of a large Dog demon, who stood on a mountain of clouds created by the formidable Western Winds.

"I'll try to conceal my excitement..." Inu-Yasha said, yawning boredly.

"How _dare_ you insult your father like this!" Myoga snapped at the hanyou.

"Yeah, how dare you?" Kitsune said, bursting into laughter. Inu-Yasha quickly joined him.

"Both of you are a disgrace to your poor father!" The flea growled at them.

"If you're all finished..." A senile old voice snapped. Yet another sentence making the group jump for the third time in one chapter for the lack of anything better to do than surprise them.

"You mean _you're_ still around? I'd hoped you woulda' kicked the bucket by now, ya old hag..." Kitsune growled.

"You should respect your elders, you cocky fox!" An old woman dressed as a priestess and bearing the same color clothing as Tomoe, stepped forward, "Indeed, that is the legendary Lord of the Western Lands. Rumor has it that after his first wife died, he fell in love with the beautiful Lady Iyazoi and their first son was born, a supposedly powerful half-demon." The old priestess sighed, "But he wouldn'tve stood a chance against our _great_ guardian..."

"A_hem_..." Inu-Yasha growled, "I just happen _be_ that half-demon son..."

"Eh heh.. it was a joke, you do realize," The retired miko recovered quickly.

"_Smooth_..." Kitsune said, smirking.

"So, then, what do you wish to know?" Tomoe asked, breaking the tension between the old woman and the dog hanyou.

"Everything!" Sango said, her voice full of her anger of Naraku, "From when he was created, to now, as he taunts us and attempts to take the jewel for himself!"

"Very well..." Tomoe began, sighing heavily," It is a long story, but I will tell you all that you do not know... Speaking of which, how much do you know of Naraku, Kagura, and Kanna?"

"You know of Naraku's incarnations?" Miroku asked, perking up.

"But of course," Tomoe replied, "News travels fast here, and I have many young demons who wish to challenge him, but are not quite ready..." She smiled, telling them in a silent way that they were _way_ too inexperienced to fight a demon like Naraku, "Well, anyway, what do you know?"

"Umm...," Kagome began expertly...(quite the masterful speaker at times, isn't she?)

"We know about Kikyo, the jewel, the city of Edo, and a little about Oniguno," Inu-Yasha supplied like he'd rehersed it.

"All right... Let me fill in the blanks then... and just let me know when you already have heard of something so the time isn't wasted..." The priestess of Yokohama started the story of fifty years ago...

Author's Notes: AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! yes, that is my original message and I WILL repeat it again, because it took me AN EFFIN' MONTH TO FINISH THIS STUPID CHAPTER AND IT SUCKS ANYWAY SO JUST DEAL WITH IT AND NOW I'M FALLING APART CUZ LIFE SUCKS, PEOPLE SUCK, I'M BEING REPLACED, AND AHHHHHHHHHHHH!... and on top of all that crap, my computer DELETED MY REVIEWS SO I CAN'T RESPOND TO THEM! GRRRRRR! ((beats living SHIT out of computer)) AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ((huff huff huff huff huff huff huff huff)) and we all know about the whole story with Naraku so i'm NOT gonna tell it AGAIN! and about the name of Inu's mom: Iyazoi, i got the name from the Beckett: Unofficial Collector's Guide to Inuyasha so i dunno if it's real or if it's false info or what, but i don't own Beckett either. and obviously, actions will now be ((action)) because my stupid computer keeps deleting the star-thingies when i post... BLAH! PEOPLESHIT! AND LIFE SUCKS AT THE MOMENT! AHHHHHHHHHHH! and BTW, i have no freakin' idea when i'll post the next chapter, but i'll really try to get it up soon... so PLEASE DON'T ABANDON ME, MY REVIEWERS! ((looks around at empty audience))... ((sweatdrop)).. well, that's to be expected with as long as this chapter took... and BTW again, i'm writing another story with me and my friends all as demons going to DEMON SCHOOL! it's not a fic, so i can't post it but that's what's tying me up... i'm writing the COLLEGE ONE! WOOHOOO! COLLEGE PARTIES ARE DEFINATE! AND ANARCHY WILL REIGN! COLLEGES WILL _NOT_ BE LEFT STANDING!


	7. The Story, Renewed

Author's Notes: blah... ultra super mega GIANGANTO! ((hee heeeee)) sorry! this chapter took so freakin' looooong!... and it wasn't really worth the wait, my friends... ((Sniffle)) it honestly just sucks... it's very uninspired... but NaokoMageofDarkness, one of me best friends has decided that she's going to warn me that she's just posted some ficcies... MUST STAY AHEAD! ((writes random things)) and i'm going to be posting ((gulp)) a ... a-a-a-a((stammers))

Kitsune: ((sigh)) ((slaps me)) JUST SPIT IT OUT, DAMN YOU!

me: FINE! ... i'm writing a ... ROMANCE FIC! ((ducks for cover from things flying from audience)) anyhoo, please don't kill me for completely butchering all story lines in any future fics... kinda distracted considering i'm talking on the phone with our loveable little friend NaokoMageofDarkness as i'm typing this. so u'll also hafta forgive any major typos... ((sigh...)) oh well, i guess this is the new chapter... in all its horrible glory... ((double sigh)) ohhhhhh welllllllllll... reviews may boost my self-esteem... and creativity levels... ((hintttt hinntttt)) hmm... onward then, MY LOYAL SUBJECTS! ((looks at VERY pissed-off audience)) umm... ((sweatdrop)) not that... umm... u need to... like, bow or anything... umm... eh heh heh... ((runs away)) AHHHHHHHHH!

Kitsune: (( . . )) hmmmm... it appears my creator has been run out of town by crazed groupies... hmm... ((sigh)) it was bound to happen sooner or later... oh well, looks like I'M DOING THE DISCLAIMER!

Disclaimer:

Kitsune: ((cackles maniacally)) MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! ((pulls out chainsaw)) INU-YASHA BELONGS TO MEEE! BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!

lawyers: ((bursts in)) DON'T MOVE! INU-YASHA BELONGS TO MADAME RUMIKO TAKAHASHI OF NIIGATA, JAPAN!

kitsune: ((jumps out window)) CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

me: ((sigh)) now i hafta bust him out of prison... _again_... oh well... serves me right for choosing a _ fox _ as a muse...((sighs again))

Chapter 4: The Story, Renewed

"So, that's the whole story, is it?" Sango asked.

"Yes... Every troublesome, painful detail..." Tomoe said solemnly.

"It's enough to convince me to help kick that stupid bastard, Naraku's ass!" Kitsune said defiantly. Tomoe smiled slightly at her former guardian's arrogance.

"So, you were betrayed by Tomoe due to Naraku, just like the incident between Kikyo and I?" Inu-Yasha inquired darkly.

"Yes..." Kitsune replied, his tone the same as his brother's.

"Am I the only one stuck on the fact that Sesshomaru seems to be the only brother who's lead a life worth living!" Ayame growled.

"Fortunately... or _un_fortunately, depending on how you see the matter, you're not," Kitsune returned, "Which is why it's fun to remind him that he's not as strong as he thinks he is."

"Well, am I the only one who's stuck on the fact that a fox-hanyou and an inu-hanyou are related as brothers somehow?" Miroku asked exasperatedly. ( (( readers lean forward)) admit it... you've been wondering the same thing...)

"Well, we have the same father..." Kitsune said.

"Your father is definately sounding like my kind of demon!" Miroku stated on an undertone. Sango thwacked him.

"And, technically, I'm not really a hanyou..." (the truth comes out! ((gasp)) Kitsune: oh, DO shut up...) Kitsune looked thoughtful, "My mother was the Shadowfox hanyou, Akane, and my father was the full demon Inutaisho."

"Wow... so you're a three-quarter demon?" Kagome asked.

"I s'pose..." Kitsune said.

"D'you still turn human?" Shippo pried.

"Why should you care!" Kitsune snapped.

"That sounds like a yes..." Shippo smirked evilly.

"I hope not..." Miroku put in bluntly, "Another potential fighter put out of commision due to no moon... we'd have to have a back-up plan at all times..."

"No... I don't turn human... quite the opposite effect, actually." Kitsune still looked thoughtful, but he was being stared at in a way that can only be described as this: O.O

"What!" He snapped, "The moon's cycle reflects on me just the same as it reflects on you!"

"Umm.. No." Inu-Yasha said flatly, "I turn _human_ on nights of no moon. Do you mean to tell me _you_ get to turn into a full demon?" The dog hanyou sounded royally pissed and he had every reason to. He had just been severely dissed by a quarter-blood's worth of technicality. Ouch.

"Being human's not much worse than being demon..." Kitsune said, skirting away from that subject by the dropping of his voice.

"So.. it seems you foxes are not always as you appear," Miroku stated wisely.

"So, Shippo, if you ever turn out to be a bishounen... I'm callin' first dibs..." Kagome said.

"WHAT!" Shouted Inu-Yasha and Shippo in unision.

"So, what would that make you, Ayame! A hag!" Miroku was currently disturbed very deeply by the images of Kagome and an adult bishounen Shippo. (I think it's best that we don't know how Miroku is able to come up with a bishie... ((gets glared at by miroku fans)) )

The look Ayame gave him was absolutely hateful.

"That depends... Are. You. Willing. To. Pay. The. Price. To. Find. Out...?" The vixen's tone was ice.

"Miroku, I'm going to go out on a limb and take that as a 'no,'" Sango stated bluntly to the terrified monk.

"Duh..." Inu-Yasha said flatly.

"Well, then, aren't you all a merry bunch?" Everyone turned to see the new voice's owner. Kagura was standing in the doorway of the shrine, her fan open, held in its familiar sideways grip.

"Kagura!" Miroku shouted. Everyone gave him a dry look, and he shrugged, "Seemed like the right thing to say..."

"If you're finished bickering amongst yourselves..." Kagura flipped the fan towards them, sending the Dance of Blades hurtling full-tilt toward the group. Inu-Yasha raised Tetsusaiga to deflect the blows and the wind-daggers veered off, smashing into the wall and destroying random pillars.

"No, you IDIOT!" Kagome's voice turned his head. The other-world girl was running from the Dance of Blades as well, "Those are support beams! They fall, and the whole shrine goes down, stupid!"

"Well, _SORRY_! IT'S THE FREAKIN' BEAMS OR ME, AND GUESS WHAT? BIG SURPRISE, I CHOOSE _ME_!" The dog-hanyou shouted back.

"No, she means _protect_ the beams! Not choose them over yourself, Inu-Yasha!" Kitsune shouted, drawing the long double katana they had glimpsed earlier.

"Enough!" Four sacred arrows lashed through the air, slicing through the battle and putting it on hold.

"Hmph... I've no time to dawdle in your pathetic affairs, anyway." Kagura pulled the feather from her hair and vanished into the sky.

"Thank you, Lady Tomoe," Miroku said, turning to the priestess, who was lowering her longbow, "Without you here, that, undoubtedly, would've gone much worse."

"Yeah.. thanks..." Sango lay down Hiraikotsu and Kirara shrank into her cat-sized form.

"Sooo... now what?" Everyone turned to look at Kagome for her cheery-sounding question,"I don't sense any Sacred Jewel shards, but something might be up... After all, Kagura _did_ come to find _us_, instead of vice versa." Everyone turned to look expectantly at Inu-Yasha.

"WHAT!" The aforementioned hanyou snapped.

"We're waiting for the word of the fearless leader." Kitsune had sheathed his swords and bowed sarcastically. Ayame hit him. Very hard. (Kitsune: very, very hard... me: SHUT UP!)

"Smartass..." She muttered.

"OWWW!" Kitsune exclaimed, rubbing his new injury.

"BABY!" Ayame shot back.

"I'M NOT A _BABY_!"

"WELL, YOU'RE CERTAINLY _ACTING_ LIKE ONE!"

"Would the _both_ of you just shut the _hell_ up!" Tomoe's voice sliced through the argument like her arrows had cut through the battle. Everyone stared at her outburst.

"But... priestesses aren't allowed to _cuss_..." Now everyone glared at Miroku for this outburst of stupidity. Poor Miroku... as if things weren't bad enough for him.

"No _duh_..." Inu-Yasha snapped.

"Well, sorry..." Miroku stated, shrugging.

At the end of this conversation, Tomoe strode across the room, sitting down and beckoning them to do so as well.

"Priestesses will curse when it's necessary. Such as to stop two demons from bickering the night away..." She said in an eerily calm tone. That didn't last due to Kitsune's next statement:

"They don't when their moms are in the room..."

"WHAT!" Tomoe whirled around to find her mother glaring at her with the ferocity of... well... I no longer know because not only is this authoress out of puns, but also sarcasm, so just imagine a really bad glare...(Kitsune: ohhh...now_ that's _imaginative...)

"Tomoe, you have five seconds to busy yourself with something that doesn't involve this room." The older woman's tone was ice.

Tomoe hurried away, most definately the wiser decision in this matter, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'stupid, worthless foxes and their stupid, worthless arguments!' followed by some random unprintable obscenity.

"Sooo... umm... how old _is_ Tomoe, anyway?" Kagome asked, "I mean, she _must_ be older than she looks, but she doesn't look a day over sixteen..."

"Both Tomoe and I are of a dying race called the 'Immortals,'" The elder priestess said, bowing her head solemnly, "A breed of humans that age like demons...Tomoe is actually sixty-five...We show youth even as we age."

"Except in your case... 'cuz as long as I can remember, you looked old enough to be King Tut's grandmother..." Kitsune spoke up, sounding incredibly bored... and looking it. Soon, though, his mouth met its match, as in a matter of seconds he was crouching on the ground holding his head, bleeding.

"You moron..." Tomoe's mother stood, holding a random heavy object, in this case a metal pan, though where it came from, even I am not sure...

"Owww..." Kitsune was currently curled up in his fox form, a bloody lump of black fur, with his paws over his head. He shifted back into a human(-ish. Kitsune: shut up...) form to fight back, though.

"_You STUPID HAG_!" The Shadowfox boy shouted, "PEOPLE LIKE YOU SHOULD BE BANNED FROM EVEN USING STINKIN' FRYING PANS! WHERE THE HELL'D THAT STUPID THING _COME_ FROM, ANYWAY!"

"..." The priestess glared at him, and, without ending the glare, or answering him for that matter, she leaned over and hit him again.

"WOULD YOU STOP THAT, YOU STUPID BI!" Alas, poor Kitsune did not get to finish his insult, for Ayame hit him.

"You have trouble with women, don't you?" Miroku asked, bending over the swirly-eyed fox's form.

"Apparently, Miroku, he's not like _you..._ he's no ladies' man..." Sango rolled her eyes.

"Nope... no player here..." Kagome said, assisting in Sango's sarcastic gesture.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two were joking around with me!" The monk looked geniunely surprised.

"How ever could you tell?" Sango said, tapping Miroku on the head with his own staff, as if to make sure nothing had been knocked loose in their travels. To her surprise, nothing rattled.

"So.. should we just wait until we find another clue...?" Kagome interupted an event that, more than likely, would've ended badly between Miroku and Sango.

"You're welcome to stay here, the shrine is large enough for everyone," Tomoe's mother cut in, "and by the way, my name is Tsuru."

"Well, domo arigatou, Tsuru-sama," Miroku said politely, "We thank you for the kindness of your hospitality."

"What, doesn't she get a complimentary grope, too?" Sango asked, her arms crossed. She looked very annoyed. On a scale of one to ten, ten being the best, Miroku's performance of an anime-style sweatdrop was a 25.

"Ummm... I don't have the slightest idea _what_ you're talking about, S-Sango! That's completely absurd! Not to mention perverted!" He bumbled on before Tsuru led them out of the shrine's umm... 'lobby' down the hall to individual rooms.

Kagome, Sango and Ayame were bunked together. Sango decided she might as well give the Shadowfox vixen a chance, especially since she had a feeling they'd be seeing a lot of each other. Across the hall, to the girls' discontent, were Miroku and (for humorous purposes, more than motherly) Shippo. Down the hall, on the same side were Inu-Yasha and Kitsune, just because... don't ask me, I have no clue, I'm just a simple authoress. Ask Madame Rumiko why they bunk the way they do. Not me.

Meanwhile, outside, an evil force watched them with hateful ferocity. Confrontation would soon rear its ugly head again.

More Author's Notes: Doesn't everyone jus' LOOOOVE a good cliffy? well, I'd say my horrid misconduct of not updating in forever didn't end very nicely. Not a very long chapter... And you'll hafta forgive the sarcasm... looooots of sarcasm.

Kitsune: Sarcasm is a way of life for us foxes. ((nods head wisely))

me: ((looks at his unusual wisdom)) erm.. indeed... well, anyhoo, as u may have heard, due to the above author's notes, that i am starting a romance fic called "The Demon's Reign"((dodges random corn-cob flying out of almost empty audience)) ... what's with the corn? um... anyhoo, please don't kill me... please... ((looks at daggers/swords held by audience)) ((gulps)) um... please? well, anyhoo REVIEWWWWWS!

Rachel: THANKIES SOOO MUCH FOR UR COOL REVIEW! and thanks for telling me u weren't a stalker... the last thing i need is another one... ((rolls eyes)) well, anyhoo thanks again for ur awesome review and srry for keeping everyone in the freakin' dark for as long as it took me to update this story... ((is glared at by remaining audience members)) ummm... sorry? again?

AND AS FOR YOU, NAOKO! I'M ASHAMED!HOW DARE YOU READ MY STORY! heh heh... j/k... i got to b the first to review BOTH of ur stories... hee hee that means i got to review the TorD one that I erm... 'helped' you write... hee bollocksy-nonsense! RAT IS SOOO HOT AND HOPELESS SAVAGES RULE ON! ...but why did the White Wolf Kiba choose CONVERSE! I mean the shoes are AWESOME!... but why converse?((ponders hopelessly))

Kitsune: ((praying)) plllllleeeease save me...

TIL NEXT TIME (you-know-who only knows when that is...)! me: HEY, WHO'S DOING THOSE CAPTIONS!

Kitsune: ((ducks under control desk))

me: KITSUNE, YOU MORON! ((goes to kill muse))

well, this isn't going to get much more interesting... so LATER! stick around to SEE BLOODSHED! WOOOHOOOOOO!


	8. Merciful

Author's Notes: AS PROMISED! (for once) ! HERE IS THE MCUH-AWAITED EIGHTH CHAPTER OF SHADOWFOX! THE HIT SERIES THAT HAS WON OVER THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS!

Audience members: ((four of them))

Random Audience member #1: ((cough, cough))

DSK: DIE! ((blows head off random audience member #1 on 'accident')) oops... heh heh guess that was an audience member... heh heh...damn my nerves... heh...erm... anyhoo...

well, u can now also check out the fics "The Demon's Reign" and "Anywhere But Home" Chapter one of TDR "Decisions" and chapter one of AWBH "Haunted" are now up if u are reading this! YAY FOR ME!

Kitsune: ((cough, cough))

DSK: Shut up, you...

Kitsune: HEY, REMAINING READERS! GUESS WHAT! DSK DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THIS CHAPTER FINISHED UNTIL MARCH 14TH! AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE DEMON'S REIGN WASN'T EVEN FINISHED EITHER! SHE JUST LOOKS AT WHAT SHE WRITES AND MAKES UP THE ENDINGS! I SWEAR!

DSK: ((muffles him... forcefully)) HE'S LYING! DON'T BELIEVE HIM, HE'S CRAZY!

Kitsune: ((bound and gagged in closet)) MRFF! MRFFFFFF! MRGLE MRFFF MRGGGLEEDEE! FURRRRG! FRR!

DSK: that's the most sense you've made in YEARS, Kitsune...

Kitsune: MURFFLE!

Ayame: ((pops up randomly)) translation: Shut up, DSK!((poofs away))

Disclaimer: ...Honestly... if I owned InuYasha... don't you think that I would've inserted myself and killed both Kagome and Kikyo and possibly Sango just for good measure by now! i mean... there can't be any competition...((evil grin))

Story Thus Far: don't ask me why i'm doing this... you should've read the other chapters... GO BACK AND READ THEM IF YOU DUNNO WHAT'S GOING ON!

Kitsune: told'ja... she's stalling!

DSK: HOW THE HELL'D YOU GET OUTTA THE CLOSET, FOX-BOY!

Inu-Yasha blinked open his golden eyes to the sun's gleaming rays peeking out of the sky. It was early, with night's existence still present: the sky darkened severely to the west. He looked around, blearily taking in his surroundings.

_'Where the hell am I! Wait...'_ Then it hit him. His brother, Kitsune, the Shadowfox. Inu-Yasha scanned the room and found that Kitsune wasn't, in fact, there. He growled, immediately alert. If this was a trap, someone was going to pay, and it _wouldn't_ be him. He stood, cautiously sliding Tetsusaiga into its usual home at his waist. He walked to the door and pulled it open slowly. His eyes were fierce as he took in every detail of the hallway. All the way down into the Yokohama Shrine's cavernous front room. He saw the High Priestess Tomoe fletching oak arrows with the thick feathers of eagles. She turned to the corner and smiled.

Inu-Yasha followed her gaze and had to admit he was quite shocked. Kitsune sat, surrounded by young demons and immortal-human children. He was balancing a ball of crystalline foxfire on his hand and bending it however he liked. The dancing flame took the forms of animals, elements, and anything else the children cheered for. Inu-Yasha noticed that Shippo was among the audience, shouting for a new shape. The hanyou smirked in spite of himself. He didn't think that Shippo had ever come into contact with a grown fox, who had real powers that the kit could learn from. But, judging by the way Kitsune was grinning like a maniac, (even though he had probably played with foxfire all his life), the 'grown fox' wasn't much older than Shippo in spirit. Or, Strike that, Maturity. Kitsune looked up and the foxfire ball disappeared in a whisp of black smoke. The children all sighed and ran away to find something to keep themselves entertained for the moment. The Shadowfox stood and looked at Inu-Yasha.

"Hi." Kitsune smirked, "Good morning. How are you?"

Inu-Yasha gave him a peculiar look that clearly read "What. The. Hell?" The Shadowfox laughed, almost hollowly, the inu hanyou noticed. Shippo and the rest of the kids were having fun chasing each other. The two youngest brothers of the Inutaishou watched them for a moment. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes and sighed.

"Any other siblings I need to know about?" He asked Kitsune. The fox stretched and put his hands behind his head.

"Not that I know of.. I'll update you as I learn," Kitsune ended dryly.

A young female wolf demon trotted up to them. She looked at the both of them in turn, shyly.

"You have funny ears," She said to Kitsune finally, kneading her tail and hiding her face behind it.

"And you have a funny tail," The fox stated back, "So sod off." The girl petted her tail like it was her pet.

"You really think it's funny?" She asked in a small voice, looking at the two brothers. Inu-Yasha gave Kitsune a questioning look. The fox's returned gaze was pained in a "For Pete's sake!" kinda way.

"Yes, it's very funny..." Kitsune muttered. Inu-Yasha was trying not to laugh.

"Okay!" The tiny wolf girl wandered off. With a burst of wolfwind, she turned into a wolf. A smaller child climbed onto her gray back, taking hold of her thick fur. Kitsune laughed at Inu-Yasha's gaping expression: ((O.O)).

"Never seen a wolf demon do that, have you?" The Shadowfox asked.

"Nope..." The dog-hanyou looked at his young half-brother, "But it's a good thing Koga can't."

"You do have a point on that one..." Kitsune returned, nodding wisely. (How he knows Koga is a fact that need not be explained...okay, fine... poetic license.. so sue me! )

Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo, Tomoe and Kitsune were sitting around, enjoying the morning, occasionally playing with the children and young demons (most likely NOT Miroku or Inu-Yasha), wincing as the sound of Sango's slaps broke the sound barrier, but, more than any of that, waiting for Ayame... At about noon, the Shadowfox vixen staggered in sleepily. She yawned and noticed that everyone was staring at her.

"Wha?" She stared back at them.

"Out of curiosity, my dearest Ayame-chan, are you sure you're a fox? Or are you a cat?" Kitsune was giving her a dead-serious look.

"Well, sorry, Hero-boy, but not everyone can wake up at the crack of freakin' dawn!" Ayame-'chan' snapped in response.

"Well, not everyone can sleep til noon, either..." Kitsune returned bluntly.

Tomoe cleared her throat to let them know that it was time to be serious. They all turned to look at the priestess.

"We need a plan to defeat Naraku," Tomoe said in an authoritive and determined voice.

"Well, DUH... We kinda figured that much..." Kitsune totally destroyed the dramatic effect in the room. Tomoe glared at him. Ayame, being closer to the idiot, whacked him.

"OW!" He stated sharply.

"Thank you, Ayame," Tomoe said, bowing her head to the vixen.

"No problem!"

"Anyway," The priestess began again, "We all know that Naraku turns human... But... We know that he can _choose_ which night this happens... That's a pretty big set-back..."

"Actually... he probably chooses the new moon..." Kitsune said thoughtfully. Everyone turned to look at him in disbelief.

"Well, think about it," He continued, "On the new moon, it's too dark for humans to see very far, and demons can't carry scents as well without the lunar demons showing the path." (umm.. no clue where this came from... more poetic license).

"He has a point..." Sango said admittedly, "There are a lot of reasons to choose the new moon..."  
"But there are just as many reasons to choose the full moon or an in-between moon..." Kitsune said, still deep in thought, "The full moon may be chosen because, since it's the harvest moon, humans are busy, and even though demons can see and smell better, they wouldn't go after him because they're too busy picking off the harvesting humans..."

"Riveting descriptions..." Miroku put in sadistically.

"But they're true..." Inu-Yasha said, "Meaning we still have no idea what he'll choose.."

"So what?" Kitsune said, "We can guess.. Besides, picking off a weak opponent isn't my idea of a fair or fun battle."

"We Taijiya were taught to fight fairly and only fairly," Sango said in a courageous,

warrioress-esque tone.

"Though that bastard deserves to be destroyed while he's weak," Inu-Yasha said angrily, "He does deserve the decency of a chance."

"Yeah... to do something like that would be sinking to his level," Kagome spoke up, "We'll let him die knowing we're better than him in both strength and morals."

"Well, you know of his incarnation, Kagura, do you not?" Tomoe asked gravely.

"We know her..." Miroku said cautiously.

"Well, she may actually help us." Everyone turned to stare, openmouthed, at Tomoe.

"She despises Naraku more than anything in the world," The priestess continued, "She has helped me once against him. More than anything she wants him to die so she can be free."

"That's true..." Kitsune said, "She's tipped me off to his plans as well."

"She did help us out that one time..." Kagome said, "She refused his orders.."

"It never really occurred to us that she might rebel against Naraku..." Sango said.

"And, of course, Kikyo will help us," Tomoe started again, "She hates Naraku as well."

"And I highly doubt she would let her beloved Inu-Yasha get hurt in a battle against him without stepping in..." Kitsune sent the dog-hanyou a look. He got a wicked death glare in return.

"Just stating the obvious..." The Shadowfox shrugged.

"He's right," Miroku said, "Lady Kikyo, whether she died spitefully or not, won't allow Naraku to kill anything without her stepping in first."

"So we have two allies behind the enemy's walls." Sango was petting Kirara. The tiny cat mewed.

"And once Kohaku awakens, we'll have him, too." Kagome reminded the Slayer.

"If he's able to fight... he may be too injured," Miroku stated gravely.

"That's very true..." Sango's painful memories were playing across her features, shadowing her usually bright eyes.

Author's Notes: HEEEE! SURPRISE! AS A FURTHER PRESENT TO YOU, I'M GIVING SHADOWFOX A MAKEOVER! ((pulls out random makeup kit))

Kitsune: Touch me with that and I swear to the GODS I'll kill you...

DSK: LIKE I'D BOTHER! i'm going to correct all the chapters and then re-upload them so that the story should appear correct! YAY! DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT "THE DEMON'S REIGN" AND "ANYWHERE BUT HOME!"

Review Responses:

lil' devil 2004: thank you for UR HAPPY B-DAY MESSAGE! well, here ya go! srry for the disappointment!

NaokoMageofDarkness: or Van Hagar or whoever the hell u are these days, Naoko-chan! well, here's ya go! BOB IS VASH THE DONUT-EATING MEXICAN BALLET DANCER!... wow... combing all insults into one... TRIGUN STARTS AGAIN TONIGHT, AS OF MARCH 15TH, 2005 AGAIN ON ADULT SWIM! YES YES YES YES YES YES! THAT IS THE GREATEST B-DAY PRESENT! oh... and the Slipknot concert this weekend... WHICH I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO! CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAPPPPPPP! oh well, with any luck I can go see Mudvayne's tour or sumpthin'...

Rachel: hee srry for leavin' u in gym! well, here's the next chappie! and don'cha hate it when they make you get off the net? they're all like 'GET OFF THE INTERNET, YOU'RE IM-ING US OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME!' I mean, HONESTLY, who the HELL needs a HOUSE! lol... thankies again for the review

REMEMBER TO REVIEW MY LOVELY READERS! AND I PROMISE I WON'T BLOW ANY MORE HEADS OFF BY ACCIDENT! and what Kitsune said about the not having it typed thing... eh heh heh... oops...

Kitsune: TOLD'JA! TOLD'JA! ((leaps and points accusingly in background))

DSK: DON'T LISTEN, HE'S A PSYCHO! JUST YESTERDAY HE TRIED TO COOK A SQUIRREL IN THE MICROWAVE!

Kitsune: soo? I'm a fox who doesn't enjoy squirrel meat raw... so sue me...

DSK: erm... okay then... BAI PEOPLE!


	9. Confrontation of the Taken

Author's Notes: hello, again... erm, anyhoo, Shadowfox's Restoration is complete! in other words, the chappies SHOULD be correct now... hopefully... as many of you noticed, the fourth chapter was horribly confusing and it should be better now... as i said before: hopefully... anyhoo: behold Shadowfox's newest addition; it's Ninth and final chapter... lol... you really thought this was the final chapter, didn't you! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! yeah freakin' right... well, enjoy anyway...

Disclaimer: I'm bored... and i don't own anything except for some scrambled eggs, the occasional spork, a hairbrush, and several rubber bands...oh... and an evil cat and desperately stupid dog...

Shadowfox Chapter Nine: Confrontation of the Taken

A dark cloud approached the massive shrine of Yokohama. It hovered and writhed, appearing to live. Dull brown eyes, belonging to a young boy, were watching the barely awake city from a scaled back. Those same eyes narrowed into a corrupted, soulless glare.

Sango looked up suddenly. She could feel a vast demonic prescence.

"Do you feel that?" Miroku asked beside her.

"Yeah..." Shippo trotted over from the throng of children.

Ayame looked deep in thought. Inu-Yasha's amber eyes turned fearsome, glaring towards the shrine door. Kagome sighed darkly.

Tomoe stood, "Mai!" She commanded. The dragon stepped forward: "Yes, M'lady?"

"Warn the villagers." The High Priestess retrieved her quiver and longbow from the corner.

"Hmmm..." Kitsune mused out loud.

Ayame turned to him, "What is it?"

"Most of the demons seem generic and low-class... But..."

"'But'...?" Kagome pressed.

"But there are some stronger demons mised in with" A cold smirk replaced the look of thought. His vivid blue eyes flashed.

"What?" Ayame asked him. With good reason, too. With oddly shining eyes and a murderous smile, he looked insane.

He laughed bitterly, "Well, if it isn't our friend, Kagura... and her sister, Kanna..." His eyes flashed againbloody, crimson red, "Brilliant!"

"What's so freakin' 'brilliant' about us being attacked!" Ayame snapped at him.

"Hmmm..." He pondered again. He traced his finger in the shape of a circle on the floor and called the sacred object forward: "Black Mirror."

An oval of darkened glass coalesced forward from nowhere, "It seems there's something else there, too..." The Shadowfox continued.

Kaogme gasped, horrified, and Sango took the mirror in her hands to stare in disbelief.

"No..." The Slayer breathed, "Not Kohaku..." (see I coulda left the last chappie off here and really left you waiting.. haha)

Kagura muttered a few choice curses under her breath. They were waiting for Naraku's signal to attack.

_'Ugh... How I despise that bastard...' _She turned to her sister, "Kanna! What about now!"

"Not yet, Kagura..." Kanna's soulless voice drifted back to her.

"Dammit..." The wind sorceress spat, "Hurry _up_, already..." She looked towards the hypnotized taijiya boy. _'Hmph... I almost wish he'd wake up...I'm so tired of his dull bumbling about... And _perhaps_ he'll help them defeat that damn Naraku...'_

Kanna's mirror flickered. Her master's blood-curdling voice came forward, along with his image in the glass: "Kanna. You, Kagura, Kohaku and the demons may attack now." The Maiden of the Mirror bowed her head respectfully. "Yes, Naraku-sama..." She turned to Kagura. The wind witch guessed the message.

"Is it time now, Kanna?"

_"Yes..."_

"Hm..." A cruel smirk played across the demoness' features, "So it begins..." She laughed coldly and threw open her bladed fan.

The hovering demons charged.

"They're attacking!" Inu-Yasha snarled. He drew Tetsusaiga and it transformed in a flash of demon power.

Sango was actually ahead of them all as she shot outside, looking to be on the brink of tears.

"Hiraikotsu!" She screamed and launched the massive boomerang into the air. Kirara raced to her side and Sango leapt onto the cat's back, preparing to catch her weapon.

Kagome shot a purifying arrow into the clouds of demons and allowed herself a small exclamation of pride when the demons split. Fighting a group of them was far better than fighting a huge swarm.

"Wind Scar!" She heard the attack behind her, and the demons to her left were shredded.

"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku ripped the prayer beads from around his cursed hands and the monsters screamed out curses towards the monk as they were pulled into the black hole.

Meanwhile, Sango had her eyes on only one thing. She directed Kirara into the very center of the mass of demons. She tore through them with anything immediately available: Her sword, Hiraikotsu, the switch-blades on her arms, even her hands. She had to get to him. Finally, she saw the boy. He turned and scowled at her. She pulled him forcefully from the back of the demon snake holding him.

"Kohaku! _WAKE UP!_" She shouted at him, tears blurring her eyes for a moment. Then, her expression turned to one of surprise. His response to her begging had been his long chain scythe wrapped around her leg, tugging her from her beloved demon cat's back.

She felt herself falling, and then the fur of her trusted Kirara underneath her. The mighty youkai neko glared up at Kohaku and the demon snake he rode. She growled menacingly.

"Easy, Kirara..." Sango said, stroking her friend and trying to catch her breath.

"Sango!" She heard Kagome call her, "Are you okay!"

"Yes... I'm fine, Kagome!" The Taijiya called back shakily.

Sango watched as her companion launched another powerful arrow towards a demon that appeared in front of her. While waiting to find Kohaku again, she noticed a powerful demon below, ripping apart beasts in its way; tearing through anything in its path. It took her a moment to realize who it was.

"So..." She said, still very breathless, "It seems the Shadowfox brother is no lightweight..."

Kagome watched, slightly enviously as Tomoe shot six arrows forward. The younger priestess looked on as the streams of light lashed out viciously towards the demons. She watched her friends fight... That is, until she realized, she was supposed to be fighting too...

Sango was knocked on the ground abruptly. She immediately threw up her arm in front of her face as a defensive reflex. She gasped as she felt a familiar blade slash through her sword-guard.

"Kohaku! Stop it!" Her words rang out pointlessly against deaf ears.

Kitsune and Ayame worked well together, their movements fully coordinated. They shapeshifted simultaeneously as they lashed out viciously in response to Kagura's malicious wind attacks. Shippo watched, amazed. He'd never seen grown foxes fight... Ever since his parents were murdered. She launched his Spinning Top Attack towards a smaller demon that strayed too close to him.

Inu-Yasha found himself facing Kanna. Her mirror flashed its unearthly light, and he knew what was coming. He swung Tetsusaiga just as her mirror glowed. He found himself quoting Kagome: "Please work!"

Miroku cursed under his breath. He'd been forced to his knees by a thick-armed demon's hands on his staff. Numbness was spreading throughout his hands and arms. He was about to pull something stupid, which probably wouldn't work, like a drop kick or flip or something. He was saved by a flash of silver hair and thick steel.

"Thanks, Inu-Yasha..." He choked out, pulling himself to his feet.

"Whatever..." The half-demon slashed through a demon, further staining the Tetsusaiga's already blood-covered surface.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha called her, "Shoot an arrow at the big cloud of demons up there!"

"I can't!" The priestess called back, "Kohaku and Sango are up there!"

It was at that precise moment that a stroke of good or bad, depending how you see the situation, luck happened to float their way. For it was at that exact time that Sango hit the ground, pinning her little brother underneath her. His chain sickle had done some real damage to her body, but she wouldn't release him.

"Wake UP, little brother!" She screamed at him.

"Kagome, shoot the damn arrow!" Inu-Yasha shouted.

"Okay..." The jet of light pierced forward, in ressurected brilliance, and at that moment Inu-Yasha swung Tetsusaiga and called on its ultimate technique.

"BACKLASH WAVE!"

Everything vanished in blinding light. The demons evaporated and Sango felt her brother stolen from her again.

Author's Notes: Soooooo whaddya think? ((YAWN)) I'll have a new chappie of AWBH on Thursday.. I know, I know, Naoko-chan, I promised it on Wednesday... But I dun feel like typing it... ((Sigh)) oh well... and yeah, the battle scene sucked ass... I dunno where my head is today... Probly the fact that I didn't sleep last night...((YAWN)) Sometimes, being a nocturnal insomniac really sux... and yeah, I know, the parts with Kagura and Kanna were really cheap... The next chapter will be better... promise... hopefully... and you may have noticed I deleted that Author's Note that was formerly chapter eight. I had to do that because it violated one of the Writing Guidelines and Naoko-chan recently had one of her fics deleted and I REFUSE TO LET THEM TAKE MY MASTERPIECE, SHADOWFOX! ((head slams on desk and starts to sleep))

Kitsune: O.O... I think she's dead... ((pokes DSK with stick))

DSK: Murffle! ((shoos away Stick of EVILLLLLLL))

Kitsune: Time for REVIEW RESPONSES!

Review Responses (well, what the hell'd you expect!):

Rachel: Hee sorry for the disappointment.. lol here's ya goooooo!

Jael: wow... you reviewed BUNCHES of times... well, true you are reading the story pretty fast thankies to Naoko-chan!

Naoko-chan: DOMO ARIGATOU FOR SENDING SHADOWFOX TO JAEL! and thankies for reviewing... heeee

waterdragonmaster: YAY! one of my constant reviewers! thanks, and srry for takin' so long with this chappie... maybe after I sleep some, the next chapter will be better, lol.

PEACE AND TURKEY GREASE! lol later.


	10. Lashing Out

Author's Notes: I changed my penname. It was Dark-Spirit-Kitsune. Now it's Winter-Whisperling. and sorry if Shadowfox is bitterly spiteful or helplessly fucking sarcastic. I'm fucking pissed. That's it. You people are going to think I'm a cold, cruel individual for lashing out so bitterly to one person in particular in my Review Responses. Know what? I don't give a fuck. I'm tired of being tested. Fuck stupid anti-songfic laws. Fuck anti-otaku who hate anime and torture those who like it. And Fuck everything that is happy and good in the world. Hope all that stupid ass SHIT burns in hell. On to the Fucking story...

Dislcaimer: Fucking lawyers... go fucking fuck yourselves you stupid fuckers...No, I don't fucking own fucking anything. Except my fucking OC's, including the fucking new one I'm fucking introducing in this fucking chapter... Bite me.

Sango awoke. Her brown eyes shot open and she sat up immediately. She nearly knocked heads with a massive black dog with piercing blue eyes that seemed to borrow even past the mind itself. Needless to say, this scared the living shit out of her. She screamed and fell backward.

"AHHHHHH!" The taijiya jumped at least three feet in the air, which was pretty impressive, considering she was sitting down. She scrambled backward, drawing the nearest weapon. Unfortunately for the dog, it was the same frying pan he'd been abused with earlier. She brought it down over the sleek, black head gracelessly, screaming like a banshee as she did so.

"Ow... fucking.. fucker... fucking ... GOD!" The dog recoiled, taking a human form and crouching in a feedle position, holding his head between his knees, with his hands over the top to protect himself.

"Who the hell are you!" Sango demanded.

"DON'T HIT ME AGAIN!" Kitsune said, waving his hands frantically in order to fend her off.

"Jeez, Sango..." Kagome said in a tiny little, slightly horrified, voice.

The slayer took a deep, shaky breath, they could practically _hear_ how hard her heart was beating.

"Good... GOD..." Inu-Yasha observed bluntly, staring down at his little brother's fox form, curled up on the floor with its tail over its head as shelter.

Sango turned to Inu-Yasha and noticed that the High Priestess Tomoe was bandaging his arm. A closer inspection revealed a massive gash that stretched from just past his shoulder to all the way down to the top of his hand. Sango attempted to move forward and winced. She didn't know what had hit her, but it had hit her hard and in a lot of places.

The slayer held her head slightly. She noticed Shippo had bandages on his arms and leg. Kagome wasn't much better. The vixen Ayame was nowhere to be found. Until Sango heard ragged breathing and turned around. She saw two things. One shocked her, one slightly surprised her.

The slightly surprising bit was the fact that Ayame was laying there, also in her fox form, her sides barely rising and falling, with a single wound sticking out: a large hole in her side which had clearly left her in pretty bad shape.

A bit more shocking, though, Sango soon discovered, was that Kohaku was there. He was in the huge Shrine of Yokohama... Not even six feet behind her. She could reach out and touch him. He was out cold, he couldn't hurt her. He couldn't see her. He couldn't hear her. She could talk to him. The realization of this fact shook her greatly.

"Kohaku..." The slayer breathed.

"Sango, please, don't." Sango looked up at Miroku. His face was grave and solemn. She had never seen him look so serious in the entire time she'd known him. She didn't like it.

"What is it, Miroku?" She returned, sounding a bit more icy than she'd intended. How could he tell her to stay away from her very brother? The one she cared for more than anything else in the world?

"Sango.. please, don't take it personally or anything but, you can't touch him." The monk sounded desperate.

"Miroku. May I ask why _not_?" Sango's voice was dead cold now. It wasn't hard to tell she didn't like that answer.

'_Shit...'_ Miroku thought immediately, He knew that tone of voice. His arguement wasn't going to go anywhere at this point. "We're not sure what his current state of mind is..." He trailed off.. He didn't want to be beaten over the head with the frying pan.

"_And_?" The returned remark was dripping with venom and suspicion.

"Please, Sango." The slayer turned to Tomoe, who continued: "We are not sure whether or not he is free of Naraku's control. And if he is, what a place we are left in..." She too, trailed off, though sounding thoughtful rather than terrified.

"How do you know about all this?" Sango asked timidly. The priestess still intimidated her. She wasn't sure why, but there was something hidden in the aura, that made her seem so strong, so capable.

"I was informed while you slept as to what happened at your village. I am deeply sorry, Sango. I wish there was something I could do..." Tomoe sounded genuinely apologetic. Like it was her fault, "But, until we are sure of the presence of his sanity and self-control, we must not touch him."

"Oh... Sorry, Miroku.." Sango returned, sounding like a small child.

"Don't worry about it!" Miroku said brightly, while secretly uttering a sigh of relief that he wouldn't have his head bashed in by the damn frying pan, which was still hovering about in the corner, waiting to attack an unsuspecting victim. Haha.

Sango turned again to look at her brother. His eyes were closed, and his ever-messy hair swept across his face, but she could still picture every detail of those shining eyes and the constantly cheerful smile. Just by looking at Sango's expression, Kagome swore she'd never take Sota for granted again.

"I assure you, Sango, Naraku _will_ pay." Sango turned and gave Inu-Yasha a slight smile.

"Thank you..."

Suddenly Kitsune lunged across the room and started frantically shaking Ayame. "Dammit, Vixen, wake UP!"

"Nnnnnrrflll...?" Was his received response, from the ever-tactful Ayame. In a moment though, she was beating him over the head with... the stupid pan again.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, YOU STUPID, INCONSIDERATE BASTARD! IS THAT HOW YOU ALWAYS TREAT WOMEN! IT'S NO WONDER YOU'RE SUCH A FREAKIN' LADIES' MAN!" Ayame screamed at him. She hit him one last time, before concluding triumphantly with "Pervert...!"

"Ugggghhhh..." Was her response, from the ever-tactful Kitsune.

"Well, now that that's cleared up," Ayame began brightly, grinning, "What did you want, dearest partner of mine?"

He sat up, rubbing his head. "I was going to _say_ that..." He looked at the door, or rather, past the door, it seemed..

"Say what, already!" The vixen growled, "Spit it out! What're you trying to do, build dramatic tension?"

"Well, actually..." Kitsune began, but with Ayame's deathglare he quickly recovered: "Jeez, I was just kidding... I was going to say that Kasu's coming..."

Ayame squealed with delight and shot to the door, threw it open, and lunged outside. A moment later, when she realized something, she popped her head back in through the doorframe... "Errm... When?"

"Who's Kasu?" Inu-Yasha answered her.

"Nevermind! I'll find him myself!" Ayame bolted off again.

"And... okay..." Miroku said, watching as she left.

"Kasu's another Shadowfox rogue.. He _was_ a warrior in the Lord's army... But, after all his friends got exiled, he left and became a rogue, too."

"Who might his friends be?" Sango inquired.

"Well...erm... there's a funny story behind all that," Kitsune could seemed like a powerful speaker at times. This wasn't one of those times, "Y'see.. If there's any bitterness between us.. It's prob'ly because.. erm... umm... Eh heh.. it's a _really_ funny story... eh heh heh..."

"And we would love to hear this story." Miroku said, his voice sharp and clear. It was a tone that didn't allow room for arguement, "And what do you mean by 'bitterness'?"

"Erm.. well... uhhhh... See... Y'know how Ayame's my partner...?" He asked, one hand behind his head. He looked almost innocent. Well, mostly he just showed only one thought in his expression: Oh my god, someone KNOWS. They had yet to learn _what _it was that they knew, but they sure as hell were about to know something.

"Yes... Almost all foxes have partners.." Shippo said, trailing off suspiciously and looking at the older fox.

"Well, erm.. y'see.. Ayame wasn't s'posed to leave the Shadowfox City... Because she's... kinda.. umm... the erm.. she's kinda the... umm..."

"Just spit it out already!" Kagome said, her patience at its end.

"Well, she's the princess... Not next in line for the thrown, but she'll take the title of the Shadowfox Queen when her bastard of a father kicks it..."

"And this is relevant because...?" Inu-Yasha asked. Yay for him. He knows the word 'relevant'.

"Well... y'know... since the other Shadowfox cities are wayyyyyy far away... then the captain of the Shadowfox Hell-Warriors _would_ become the new Lord, by marrying the Princess... and.. like I said, it's a funny story, cuz you'll _never_ guess who the Shadowfox captain is..."

"WHAT!" Was basically how all of this was accepted. 

"Heh heh.. yeah... funny, funny, stuff, that is..." Kitsune said, still incredibly nervously.

"Sooo.. why did Ayame run away, anyhoo?" Kagome inquired.

"Because..." He took a deep breath, "BecauseIwasn'tsupposedtobeherpartnerandthewholethingwasjustastupid dareanywayandweshouldn'tvedoneitbutwedidanywayandnowKasu'sgonnakillmebecauseAyame'shisfianceeandsheranawaytobemypartnerandthat'sit!"

"Erm...what?" Sango asked, reading everyone's minds.

"Well, y'see..We were bored one day. I had been exiled so technically they weren't really supposed to be talking to me. But Kasu was on "Patrol" as he calls it... or whatever. And Ayame had decided to 'bravely join him'. Or something... Anyhoo, I said I was going to wander around and look for something interesting to do. Kasu randomly dared Ayame to follow me, because she pulled her princess line of 'I wouldn't be caught dead with all the rogues out there.' So, the both of us got this plan to trick her into it, just because she's stupid and won't refuse a dare that insults her. So we were saying that we bet she couldn't even last a month out here and when she protested, we dared her to do it. It's not like it was hard... But anyhoo, I haven't seen Kasu for... geez... umm... Hell, I think forty years..."

"It must be great to be immortal..." Kagome said, rolling her eyes. She had noticed something about people with extended lifespans: They had trouble keeping all their stories straight and un-intertwining (that's a word now.. tough shit). For example: Inu-Yasha's adventures before he had met them, Shippo's stories of his own bravery, Totosai's constant lectures and lore, and her grandfather. Especially her grandfather.

"KASU-KUN!" They heard an extremely over-eccentric squeal of excitement from outside.

"Umm.. Hello, to you, too, Aya--OOOFFF!" Kasu's sentence was cut short and the Inu-tachi plus Kitsune ran to see what did it. Ayame, in Shadowfox form, was sitting on his chest, her head bent over his, staring him dead in the eyes...

"Umm.. Ayame.. Although I give you points for originality, this is highly unorthodaux..." Kasu stated nervously..

"I have something I've wanted to say to you for years, Kasu..." Her voice was suddenly haunted and raspy.

"Erm.." He looked terrified now, "What might that be, Ayame-chan?" He added the name ending as though to reassure her that they were friends and she shouldn't kill him.

"I've wanted to say..."

"Yes...?"

"I've wanted to say..."

"_Yes?_"

"I..."

"You what?"

"I WIN!" With this final triumphant conclusion, Ayame leaped up and transformed back into her human shape.

"You win... what?" He asked uncertainly.

"Our dare! I WIN! HA! You immature IDIOTS said I couldn't be a rogue and what am I now! I'm the Rogue Princess, Ayame! HAAA! So there!"

"Erm... right then, you ... umm... win, then...Oh, hi, Kitsune!" Kitsune walked over and held out a hand to pull the other demon up.

"Thanks," Kasu stated, brushing himself off, "Overzealous little bitch, ain't she?"

Kitsune gave him a long, dry look. "You have no idea..."

"So, how did our little dare go, exactly?"

"You have no idea..."

"Been a long forty years, has it?"

"You have no idea..."

Author's Notes: Well, that's it... this is a pretty long-ass chappie if I do say so myself.. that is all.. and I'm going to start a poll... I'm thinkin' of killin' a couple people off in the final battle with Naraku.. I'm not asking you to cast your votes now, seeing as we haven't really met Kasu yet officially, and not all the characters that will be featured in Shadowfox have made their appearance, so hold your reviews (at least about the poll) til the later chapters.. I'll announce its official start. So, that being said, here's where you're gonna hate me.

Review Responses: good first, then bitter hatred, 'kay?

casandra,ryusan- Thankies much for your review! and I can't wait til next IY eppies start premiering on Sat's at 11:00 pm again! wooooooot!.. random, I know, but seriously, thanks for the review.

Okay, HERE's the part where you're gonna hate me:

Katie-I wanna say a whole lotta things to you, but this fic is PG-13 so I can only say so much. I'll start by saying you've got a whole helluva lotta fucking nerve.. You torture me daily, all because I like anime and manga. Before we left for Canada, I was talking to Rachel, a LOYAL friend, about how I probably wouldn't be able to record InuYasha in Canada, and, without even being announced or invited into the conversation, you screamed at me "WE'RE NOT WATCHING THAT CRAP IN CANADA!" So, then I got pissed at you, and I had a goddamn reason to be. Then you got all mopey and shit because I 'was mad at you for no reason' or whatever. So now, you're reviewing Shadowfox as a desperate attempt to patch things up! What the hell is your problem! I never provoked you, I never involved you, and you still fucking tortured me. So don't pretend you like this story, don't pretend I'm good at this, and, most importantly, don't fucking say you're sorry. Just don't. It's just makes _me_ seem like the bad person here, cuz I won't accept this apology, cuz apparently, I'm the only one who realizes how fucking fake it is. So don't apologize.

Well, hate me. There. I said it. I don't give a fuck if Katie reads it, either. So, since I've said that, I know Jael or Jessica'll print it off and show it to her. well, if you do, Fuck you then. see ya next chapter. and, with emotions being spilled here, I'd like to say sorry for how long it took me to get this damn chapter up. The Demon's Reign will be the next fic I update, hopefully. If not that, then Anywhere But Home. Peace out, beotches...


	11. The HellWarrior's Final Code

Author's Notes: ((siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh))... In case ya' haven't noticed a couple of announcements:

1: My penname has changed again... Why? Because I'm bored, that's why, dammit. Well, it's now Pariah-of-Exodus. Take a note.. or whatever you choose to take... or whatever.

2:WOOOOOOOTTTT! It was under-celebrated cuz last chappie I was pissed, but MOOP! SHADOWFOX'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY LANDED! WOOOOOOOOOOO!... ((ahem)) anyhoo...

So, y'see... yeah. all that good stuff... and I'm starting to plan out the chappies as much as possible. and I'm really realizing how freakin' long this fic's gonna be. I mean, at least 20-plus chapters.. probably way over 20, though. So, if you've been reading since the beginning, congrats, you won't hafta go back and read the whoooooolllle thing, but if you're just starting and there's 50 katrillion chapters.. wow... sucks for ya', then. by the way, 50 katrillion isn't a real number... y'know, just in case you thought it was... yeah...moving on...

annnnd now i've got like, another four fics planned, so I have around 15 fics in the works or so. most of 'em are songfics, so I might hafta find a different place to put 'em for the time being... once they're written, that is... What I don't get is why won't let you post songfics? I mean, they let us post character names and anime names with only a disclaimer. Why shouldn't the same rule just carry through? I mean, just slap a second disclaimer on there, like all songfic authors do, and you're not breakin' any rules. I mean, granted, there are some songs that bands don't want to have circulating, like if I posted Evanescence's song "You" I could understand the officials getting pissed, cuz no one's supposed to know that song exists, but a song like "Bring Me To Life" or Slipknot's "Duality" that everyone has heard and knows that you didn't write it, why restrict? Why are they hatin' so bad? ... No, I don't intend to ever say that again.. enough of my hippy rant... onward to the fic, so I stop stalling...

The group soon found that Kasu was a likeable character and they quickly warmed up to him, each for their own reasons. Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Inu-Yasha enjoyed his more redeeming qualities, like a bold personality, the ability to speak his mind, and his dedication to his code as a Hell-Warrior. He clearly lived by the rules of the pact that the soldiers took, and he seemed rather optimistic, like he had seen worse no matter what the situation. After all, his life's motto, just from talking to him, seemed to be "There's no giving up now." Miroku, however, liked him for his good, if not slightly depraved intentions. He was a touch on the perverted side. Not to the point of flirting shamelessly, like Miroku himself, but at least to the point of flirting with Ayame.

Kitsune was keeping his mouth shut for the time being, only speaking when he was directly addressed; For the first time he seemed to have nothing to say. Apparently, in Ayame's opinion, that wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't a very rare thing, either.

"So, Kasu, you're a rogue as well?" Sango asked inquisitively, still fully aware of the sleeping Kohaku behind her.

"Well... I wasn't until around... umm... thirrrrttyyyyyy, no forrrrtyyyy... umm.. probably forty or forty-one years ago." He replied easily, in a light tone.

"How old are _you_, exactly? We know that Kitsune and Ayame are sixty-five." Miroku put in.

"Umm... How old indeed..." The third fox began to count on his fingers. (yeah, I jacked it from the RK first book.. "couldn't resist, mate!" -Captain Jack Sparrow 'Pirates of the Carribean')

"Umm... if it's that much trouble.. then, nevermind." The monk said exasperatedly.

"No, I suppose, in human years I'm sixty-six... but, If you're going by how to put it _into_ a human's lifespan.. umm.. I'm sixteen or so..." He noticed the confused looks around him, "Umm... if that makes any sense at all..."

"Not really.." Shippo said, with a swirly-eyed face.

"Not in the least," Inu-Yasha said, looking equally duped.

"Actually... I get it," Tomoe stated. She sounded very serious for someone who was also counting on her fingers, "It's like translating the age. Like.. umm... Inu-Yasha, for example!" The dog hanyou looked up at her in slight surprise. "It's like saying that, while he _is_ sixty-seven, he has the mentality and appearance of someone around seventeen. Get it?"

There was a soft chorus of 'Ohh...'s heard and the next subject was brought up.

"Why so quiet, Kitsune?" Inu-Yasha turned to the shadowfox boy. He was in fox form, stretched out on the floor, and was looking quite comfortable. When the hanyou received no response, he pressed, "Sumthin' wrong?"

Nothing.

"Fine then, screw you!"

Nothing.

"What the hell's _your_ problem, now!"

Still nothing.

"Umm.. Inu-Yasha..?" The mentioned hanyou turned to Kagome.

"What!" He asked irritably.

"I think he's asleep..." The miko-in-training said, in a slightly startled voice.

"Oh... I knew that! I was just testing you... yeah.."

"Right... idiot.." Shippo said, yawning, "I think Kitsune has a good idea. I'm exhausted. Especially after Kagura attacked us!"

"Who's Kagura?" Kasu asked. His response consisted of stares.

"The chick on the feather. No mistakin' her." Ayame stated boredly.

"Ohhh! I saw her in the forest. She's cute..." He said, in his consistantly-happy voice.

"WHAT!"

"ARE YOU CRAZY!"

"SHE'S A WITCH!"

"SHE ATTACKS US ON AN ALMOST-DAILY BASIS!"

"I AGREE, SHE IS CUTE!"

That one got some odd looks. Everyone glared at Miroku, minus, of course, Kasu, who agreed.

"Why would you shout something like that out?" Sango asked him in a deadly voice.

"Well, everyone was yelling, so I thought that if I just yelled, everyone would think it was just an insult, instead of praise..."

Sango slapped her forehead in a hopeless gesture, Kagome rolled her eyes, Shippo sighed, and Inu-Yasha just gave him an extremely disgusted look.

"What?" The monk asked innocently.

"Just--! Just... forget it.. nevermind..." Sango said.

"It's okay, Sango. In my time, there are cures!" Kagome said, "There are ways to treat people like him! I promise! Once we gather the jewel, we can wish for the well to open for us all and he can come and get help!"

"Don't raise my hopes, Kagome..." Sango stated in an exhausted voice.

"What!" Miroku asked again.

"Oh, god.. just... Dammit, Miroku, just.. STOP TALKING!" Sango shouted at him.

"Well, fine, all you had to do was ask!" He replied, crossing his arms and turning to face a corner.

"Anyway..." Kagome said, turning back to the matter at hand, "What should we do now?"

"Wait to be attacked again." They all turned to Kitsune.

"Well, well...Look who's back among the world of consciousness." Inu-Yasha cocked an eyebrow at his younger brother.

"Haha. Well, anyway, I say we wait for Naraku to make his next move." The Shadowfox replied.

"Who the hell knows when that's gonna be!" Inu-Yasha growled back.

"Not very long, knowing Naraku." Sango said darkly.

"Indeed." Miroku said, nodding his head wisely.

"I thought Sango told you to stop talking.." Kagome looked at Miroku.

"Yes, Lady Kagome..." Miroku turned back around and faced his corner.

"Well, from what _I've_ seen of Naraku so far, I agree. I say we wait," Ayame stated.

"The Almighty Princess has spoken!" Kasu declared randomly.

"Riiiiiiiight..." Kitsune said, giving Kasu an odd look.

"Stupid smart asses..." Ayame muttered grumpily.

"... Isn't that an oxymoron?" Kagome asked. She got a couple of looks

"Yeah, it is, ain't it?" Kitsune said, staring off into space, momentarily, "Well, anyway, I can smell demons, in case anyone's interested..."

"Now that'cha mention it..." Kasu said, looking towards the door, "I can too."

"Ditto," Ayame confirmed.

"Yeah.. well, so can I!" Inu-Yasha growled, determined not to be left out.

"Whatever." Shippo cast him a look and was rewarded by being suspended in mid-air by the tail.

"What'd you say, you little---!"

"Inu-Yasha!" The dog-hanyou winced. He knew what was coming.

"GAHHH! Wait, Kagome! Lemme get outta the way first!" The tiny fox demon shouted, holding his hands in the air. He ripped his tail from Inu-Yasha's grasp and leapt away, "Okay, go for it!" He gave her the thumbs up sign.

"SIT, BOY!" There was a sound of cracking floorboards as poor little dog-boy hit the ground hard.

"Well, then, I'm impressed," Kasu stated nervously, looking around at the ring of faces before him.

"Don't worry, as far as I know, she can only do that to him," Ayame said, nodding wisely.

"I told you, moron, it's because of that necklace!" Kitsune snapped.

"And _I_ told _you_ that if you call me a moron again, I'm gonna kick your sorry--!"

"Moving on!" Kasu interupted, before this argument turned violent, "I believe we have touched upon the fact that there happen to be demons about. I don't recognize the scent... I don't believe I've met these particular demons before."

"What kinda demons are they?" Kagome asked. All eyes were on Kasu.

"I dunno.. it's hard to tell.." Ayame said, she had her eyes closed in concentration.

"Oh, for the love of---! They're WOLVES, for Pete's sake!" Kitsune shouted impatiently.

"Who's Pete? Someone we should know about?" Kasu asked, smirking.

"Shut the fuck up!" Kitsune returned bitterly, combing the erm.. 'suggestion' with an icy deathglare.

"Just asking.." Kasu shrugged innocently.

"On a slightly more _mature_ note... it's just Koga... Oh, and Ginta and Hakkaku." Kitsune stated.

"KOGA!" The inu-tachi chorused.

"What, you've never met Koga? Oh, well, he's the leader of this wolf-demon tribe in the mountains and..." Kitsune started to explain.

"We know who Koga is!" Inu-Yasha said. His tone dropped and he added "Unfortunately.." as an afterthought.

"Oh, Geez..." Sango said, "I sense that this will be trouble..."

"Yup.." Kagome, Miroku and Shippo nodded in unison.

"What I just _can't_ figure out, though, is why Koga hates Inu-Yasha so much! I mean, sure they're both after Lady Kagome, but---" Miroku was cut off by Inu-Yasha's wicked glare.

"What... Did... You...Just...SAY!" The dog hanyou nearly lunged after Miroku, but after catching Kagome's look, he sat back down quietly.

"Miroku...?"

"Y-Yes, Lady Kagome?" The monk looked terrified.

"Would you like to repeat that..?" She asked in an eery voice.

"No, ma'am.. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Koga!" Tomoe said suddenly, making everyone stare, "He's the charming boy in the skirt, isn't he?"

Of course, this made many of them burst into hysterical laughter immediately.

"Yeah... that's him, all right..." Inu-Yasha growled, "I smell 'im now.. Stinkin' wolf..."

"How do you three know Koga?" Sango asked Kasu, Ayame and Kitsune.

"I don't." Kasu and Ayame answered in unision.

"Well, he and I have a touch of a 'mutual loathing of each other' kinda thing.. Why d'ya think he hates Inu-Yasha so much? It's 'cuz th' bastard knows Inu-Yasha's my older brother.." Kitsune said.

"Well, that definately explains a lot..." Sango said, resting her head in her hand.

"Sango, you seem stressed. Would you like a massage?" Miroku asked, laying a hand on her shoulder his other hand, however, disappeared momentarily.

"AHHHHHHH! YOU STUPID, IDIOTIC, DEPRAVED, PERVERTED, LECHEROUS, MORONIC, IMMATURE IDIOT!" Sango shouted, beating him over the head with the frying pan. (behold the devestating return)

"...I was... just.. asking..." Miroku said weakly.

"Well, serves you right." Kagome nodded her head.

"Yup." Shippo said, climbing onto Kagome's shoulder.

"This is just _great_..." Inu-Yasha growled sarcastically, "We've got Koga on the way, two new allies who've never faced him, one new ally who's never even faced _Naraku_, a nearly-unconscious monk and a completely worthless demon to deal with!"

"Don't feel bad, Inu-Yasha, you're not completely worthless," Shippo said airily and leapt onto Kagome's shoulder, where Inu-Yasha couldn't get him. The dog half-demon, as an act of self-preservation, decided not to lunge at the little fox, but instead, sent him wicked death glares. Shippo stuck his tongue out at him in response. Inu-Yasha grumbled a few choice words that would've had to have been censored if they had been heard. Kagome was about to ask him what he had said, when, fortunately for Inu-Yasha (though he'd never admit it), the devastating sound of a whirlwind erupted outside. There was the sound of dirt and earth being shredded, followed by cries of "Koga, PLEASE WAIT! PLEASE! WAIT FOR US!"

"That'd be my cue..." Kitsune stood, and shifted into his fox form. He paused and stretched then walked out. A look of horror came over pretty much everyone's face.

"Don't worry, I'm going!" Kasu stood up hurriedly, "I'll try to keep them from killing each other..." He walked out of the hut, just as Kaede walked in.

"Who are those demons? I don't believe I've seen them around here before." She looked at Kagome and Sango.

"Well, one of them's Inu-Yasha's younger half-brother, one of them's the half-brother's friend, and one of them's Koga, who is neither a half-brother or a friend of any kind." Kagome said expertly.

"Erm... Okay." Kaede said, looking confused. She turned to Sango for an explanation. Sango, too, looked confused.

"Um... Koga's a wolf-demon from the mountains, who's in love with Kagome." She stated.

"Right." Kaede said, nodding to show she got that much.

"Kitsune is Inu-Yasha's younger half-brother, and he is the child of a half-demon mother and a full-demon father, and apparently he and Koga don't see eye-to-eye," Sango continued.

"Go on," Kaede nodded again.

"And Kasu is Kitsune's friend from a long time ago, but they aren't really friends... or something... like that.. yeah... I HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE!" She finally shouted. She huffed angrily, then gave them all a bright smile, "I feel better for admitting that."

"Erm.. yeah.." Inu-Yasha was staring at her like a deer-in-headlights, while scooting back slowly, "I'm sure you do."

It was at this time that the 'polite disagreement' outside decided to make itself known. Ginta, Hakkaku and Kasu came darting back in, panting and looking terrified.

"Evillll... he's EVIL!" Ginta shuddered.

"Soooooo evilllll... darrrrrrk.. everywherrree... evillll...!" Hakkaku was in the feedle position, trembling.

"Holy fuckin' shit!" He shouted. He leaned out of the door, "THAT WAS TOTALLY UN-CALLED-FOR!" He ducked his head back in quickly, though, and noticed the circle of innocent people staring at him, "I didn't come back in because I'm scared... I did it so that.. umm... s-so that.. they could continue their.. erm.. 'conversation'... yeah... that's right.."

"Umm.. what?" Miroku asked blankly.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Kasu shouted.

"Oh, geez..." Ayame stood and walked out. A moment later, everyone winced as several loud thuds were heard and Ayame's voice came forward again, "YOU TWO SORRY BASTARDS! GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE, DOUBLE-TIME, IF YOU WANNA LIVE TO SEE TOMORROW!"

Kasu sweat-dropped slightly at that, "She hasn't changed... God help me..."

Ayame came stomping back in, dragging Kitsune back the back of his kimono. He was protesting loudly, with language that no one had ever heard before that probably shouldn't be written.

"Kagome, what does that mean?" Shippo asked.

"Erm.. umm... DON'T ASK UNTIL YOU'RE SIXTEEN! OR OLDER! OR EVER! DON'T EVER ASK ANYONE WHAT THAT MEANS!" She stated hurriedly, putting a hand over his mouth, "No go to bed!"

"But it's still kinda light outside!"

"GO TO BED!"

"Fine!" He said, trembling from Kagome's tone, "I'm asleep!" He lay on his side and pretended to sleep.

Koga came walking in. He was bleeding from random cuts, and was NOT looking happy in the slightest sense, "You stupid sonuva--! Kagome!" His demeanor changed completely and he shot over to her and grabbed her hands, "I KNEW I caught your scent! It's so good to see you, My Beloved Kagome!"

"Uhh.. right.. it's um... great to see you, too, Koga.." His 'Beloved' Kagome was stating, with a slightly off-put expression on her face.

"Is this something we should know about, or is Inu-Yasha just a figurehead?" Ayame asked bluntly. Kagome sent her an alarmed look and Inu-Yasha gave her a deathglare.

"I was just asking," She shrugged.

Author's Notes: yeah, yeah, it took forever... blah-dee-blah-blah-bloop... well, again, my computer deleted, like every review except for ONE shadowfox review... so fuck that stupid thing... anyhoo, I'm uber-sorry about how long this took, and I'll be going on vacation as of Monday July 18th, so I'm trying to update everything this week... hopefully it'll work... Well, I'm tied up with some other stuff too, and believe me, I'd much rather be writing my fanfiction than going to see my family in Florida, as cool as Florida is, cuz my family .. sadly.. isn't. not cool in the slightest... but... on the plus side, I'LL BE ON A FUCKIN' _ISLAND!_ **_ISLAND! WOOOOOOO! _** Well, I'd really rather stay here than hafta go there, even if it is an island, but alas, I've no choice in the matter. So, hopefully, I'll get everything updated and y'guys can enjoy the new chappies while I'm away... And I'd really like to apologize to Katie, just because, I feel bad about what I said last chapter. I can't help it. Katie, you're really my friend, but sometimes, the things you say and do really, really do get on my nerves. I just want you to know that I will always support you, since you are my friend, and I would never wish anything bad on you. Even though you won't read the insult or the apology, I just want that to be clear... Later, peeps, and I'll see ya' next time.. PEACE OUT, BEEEEEOOOTCH!


	12. Progression

Author's Notes: I'll try to make this quick, so that no one has time to throw anything at me for taking so damn long to update. ((ducks flying objects)) GOMEN NASAI GOZAIMASU! ((bow, bow, bow)) Onward!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. But Hell, I still wish I did, anyhoo...

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Shadowfox Chapter 12: Progression

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Once Kitsune and Koga were separated, (quite forcefully, thanks to Ayame), the group was at peace with each other, sharing stories of joyful adventures and comical mistakes... Or at least they _would_ have, if the rest of the Inu-tachi along with Ginta, Hakkaku, Tomoe, Ayame and Kasu couldn't _feel_ the hateful stares that Koga and Kitsune were giving each other.

Ayame, who had been sitting quietly, for the most part, was now twitching slightly in annoyance as the two demons commenced in a stare down. Her frustration came in a new, exasperating wave as Kitsune jumped up suddenly.

"YOU BLINKED, WOLF!" The Shadowfox was pointing accusingly at the demon in question.

"I DID NOT!" Koga shouted back immaturely.

"SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP, THE BOTH OF YOU!" Ayame finally exploded on them, leaving the two demons cowering, "NOW, BACK TO YOUR CORNERS AND NOT ANOTHER WORD!"

As you may have guessed, Koga and Kitsune immediately sat back down and were suddenly and inexplicably contented to do nothing more than give each other death glares.

"Erm... Thank you, Ayame.." Kasu stated bravely, in a slightly preturbed attempt to bring back conversation.

"Um...yeah...way to go.." Kagome put in timidly.

"Thanks!" Ayame said brightly, giving them all a broad smile.

"So, anyway..." Miroku said, dodging the fact that the vixen had just exploded with the force of a small sonic boom, "I believe _Kagura_ was hanging about...?"

"Yeah, if she's around, she'll probably attack us ag..." Inu-Yasha was cut off by another bout of argument.

"Stupid fox! Stop looking at me like that!" Koga snapped in a less-than-restrained voice.

"Well, sorry for havin' eyes, you fleabitten mongrel." Kitsune's voice was low and wicked. His eyes flashed slightly, as a warning.

Koga 'hmphed' and sat back down.

"Well, then," Tomoe said in a mocking, laughing voice, "Perhaps before we all learn how to control our impulsivity _forcefully_, we should decide what to do about Kagura, ne?"

"That does seem to be the most tactful way to go about this, doesn't it?" Miroku put in, turning to give a dry look at the three exceedingly competitive dog demons, who were currently arguing, Inu-Yasha having just found it to be an entertaining way to pass the time.

"You idiotic dog! You're just agreeing with him because he's your brother!" Koga's voice piped up, more whining than angry.

"Yeah effin' right! I don't even like him that much!" Inu-Yasha's voice was scoffing and impatient.

"See! He doesn't even like me! Hey, wait..." Kitsune turned to look at Inu-Yasha, his eyes going misty and tearful, "You don't like me, big brother?" He sniffed.

"..." Inu-Yasha gave him the most priceless look the group had ever seen, curious, intrigued and completely and totally disturbed.

Kagome and the others burst out laughing. When she had a bit of control over her hysterical giggles, the modern day girl choked out, "Inu-Yasha, don't be serious! It was just a joke!" Suddenly, she whirled around, her eyes focusing on a certain fox three-quarter demon, who had a look of cruel amusement in his eyes, "It _was_ a joke, right?"

"Of course," Kitsune shrugged off her question with a brief smile, his expression joking before his blue eyes opened again and met her gaze full-force, "I don't really give a damn if he likes me or not. He can't get rid of me anyway."

"Sango, what's wrong? You're awfully quiet.." Miroku turned to look at the Taijiya, whose eyes were now wide with shock, a silent tear running down one side of her face out of her empty brown eyes. "Sango!" He asked again, his voice more frantic.

She didn't hear him. She couldn't have if she tried. Her laughter had ceased and ebbed from her eyes and voice when she heard him speak. Yes, those were his eyes. He was her brother again.. right? The mahogany pools were closed now, his chest rising and falling normally. She had heard him, hadn't she? Yes, she knew she had. His voice, dazed and disoriented suddenly sounded again, "...S-Sister?"

"Yes, Kohaku?" She returned, forcing down the relief in her voice. Fighting the temptation to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him and scream at him that everything would be fine, that he was okay.

"Sango..." Kagome's voice was quiet, "Is he... himself?"

Inu-Yasha's hand went to Tetsusaiga's hilt, "If he isn't, we'll just have to kill him."

"INU-YASHA!" Kagome and Shippo whirled to glare angrily at the half-demon.

"What?" He asked flatly in response, "You know that's what will have to happen."

"No, it isn't." Kitsune's voice was strangely soft. He had moved to crouch next to Sango, peering down intensely at the semi-conscious child, his ever-present fox ears pricked forward curiously. He shifted to fox form, and the long tail twitched in concentration.

Sango looked at the demon, venom in her eyes and voice as she asked defensively, "And what do you mean by that?"

"Hey, down girl, I'm just trying to help out. Don't bite my head off. In fact, if you're going to resort to cannibalism, go for Inu-Yasha. _He's _the one threatening to kill your prescious brother, not me." The fox's defensive barriers went up and Kagome had the odd feeling that being here and Sango's attitude toward the foxes kept shutting this new demon off to them, more and more. She decided to make that known.

"Sango, maybe you should calm down a bit, he's only trying to help." The young priestess put in mildly, pleasantly. It didn't work.

"Well, I'm just trying to make sure it doesn't involve sacrifice, the selling of the soul, becoming a demon, or anything like that." The Taijiya said defensively.

"Why would you think that!" Koga asked bluntly.

"Foxes are _'known' _for their riveting use of bloodshed in magics," Kitsune put in spitefully and gave the rest of them a look that could've killed a cowardly human on the spot. Sango shuddered, having apparently just realized that she was dealing with a very powerful demon.

"Well, then what can you do for him?" She asked timidly.

"An Awakening..." He said, his voice back to being expressionless. He looked up, suddenly hateful again and spat, "Don't worry, no sacrifice or selling souls to Hell."

"But in the meantime, Kagura would be here," Tomoe spoke up for the first time in a bit.

"WHAT!" Kagome, Sango, and Miroku asked in disbelief.

"I've been trying to tell you guys that for the past 10 minutes, but you were all caught up on Kohaku and human sacrifices!" Inu-Yasha snapped.

"Yeah, same here." Koga said.

"Us, too," Ayame chimed in, gesturing to Kasu, to include him in the statement.

"Kitsune, why didn't you say anything?" Kasu asked the younger demon, laughter in his voice.

"I figured someone would." Kitsune responded bluntly.

Kagome sighed, in perfect contrast to the bolt of wind that suddenly shot through the front doors. It spiraled to a halt, where it revealed a feather carrying Kagura and everyone's favorite little psycho, Kanna. A pretty impressive entrance, considering the first thing said was Kagura:

"We are not here to fight, only for Kohaku."

"...Are you joking?" Kasu asked flatly.

"What?" Kagura sneared at him, "What do you mean 'Am I joking'? Are you stupid?"

"Well, apparently so, because I just don't see all the hype leading to this. Talk about a letdown.. I was looking forward to a battle." The shadowfox sighed and plopped back down, he opened one eye and addressed the wind demoness again, "Well, you'll hafta wait, Kitsune's gonna wake him up, or somethin', first."

"NO!" Kanna's voice was incredibly out-of-character, loud and despereate.

"Well, geez, chill out, the kid sleeps too much anyway." Ayame said, the fur of her fox ears still standing from the surprise of the small girl's explosion.

"It is not the master's orders for that thing to touch him!" Kanna shouted angrily, her black eyes wicked.

"Well, then, you _do_ want to fight." Kitsune now stood in front of the small girl, towering over her, his own blue eyes dangerous. He raised one hand and the nails turned to long talons.

"No. We do not wish to fight." Kagura said again, calmly.

"Then leave." Inu-Yasha's voice was ice, his hand resting forebodingly on Tetsusaiga's hilt.

Kagura backed up, "Come on, Kanna, we cannot fight here."

"It is not the master's orders for _that_ to touch him!" The young girl pointed accusingly at Kitsune, and his eyes flashed.

Kagome's bow was aimed carefully at the demoness's mirror as she said, "Well, forget your 'master's orders'! We want Kohaku to wake up!" The arrow fired and the mirror lunged at it hungrily, swallowing it before shattering angrily.

The look of hatred on Kanna's usually expressionless face deepened. She turned to face the three foxes, all of whom looked as though they couldn't care less what the 'master's orders' were, "You will NOT touch him! He is ours!"

"He is a human being and he is _my BROTHER!_" Hiraikotsu echoed through the air, spinning menacingly as it headed dead for Kanna. Kagura swept back her elder sister.

"We take our leave. But we _will_ return. Be prepared to fight then." The wind demon pulled a feather out of her hair and the two incarnates were gone.

"Well, that was random." Miroku put in bluntly.

"Yeah..." Koga agreed.

"Does that happen often?" Ayame asked Kagome.

"No, normally they fight." The young priestess put in.

"After you shattered Kanna's mirror, Kagura didn't want to risk being killed before she could be free," Tomoe said, "She's smart, she knows what she's up against, and she really doesn't like Naraku. I'd say she's the closest thing you're going to get to an ally on the inside."

"Yep," Inu-Yasha stated, nodding wisely.

Shippo, who everyone had long since forgotten existed, suddenly decided to wake up from his position of sleeping in the corner. He yawned and looked about sleepily, rubbing his eyes, "Did I miss anything?"

oooooooooooooooooo

Author's Notes: ((yawn)) why do you people read these? Well, apparently I lied again, Kagura didn't technically attack, but she did show up... and the title's not what I said it would be... ((sigh))... i'm really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY sorry about how long this took... i looked at the last update part of my shadowfox summary and was SHOCKED... Shadowfox was last update on JULY FREAKING 11TH, 2005! ACK! at the time I am finishing this chapter (about a month after I started it), it is now DECEMBER 20TH, 2005! AAAAAAAGH! well, anyway, hopefully you're done laughing at me... ((sigh)) well, thanks for waiting, guys, I really appreciate you readers! you're my BESTEST-BESTEST-BEST FRIENDS! well, peace til next chapter, which I promise won't take this long! DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU! (thank you so much!)... yeah, yeah, um... erm.. it's me.. and, um... yeah, um i was just re-reading this chappie to check for errors before posting... and it is now officially erm... ((checks calender))... JANUARY EFFIN 3RD, 2006! ACKKKKKK! well, i'll post this now...


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